NameCensus.

UK surname

Hewins

A variant spelling of the surname Huins, derived from the given name Hugh.

In the 1881 census there were 325 people recorded with the Hewins surname, ranking it #9,194 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 449, ranked #10,816, down from #9,194 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Hinckley (incl. Hydes Pastures) and Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stratford-on-Avon, Worcester and Torridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hewins is 563 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.2%.

1881 census count

325

Ranked #9,194

Modern count

449

2016, ranked #10,816

Peak year

1911

563 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hewins had 325 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,194 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 449 in 2016, ranked #10,816.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 563 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hewins surname distribution map

The map shows where the Hewins surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Hewins surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Hewins over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 202 #10,323
1861 historical 178 #13,202
1881 historical 325 #9,194
1891 historical 339 #10,089
1901 historical 446 #8,767
1911 historical 563 #7,163
1997 modern 463 #9,850
1998 modern 471 #10,048
1999 modern 469 #10,139
2000 modern 477 #9,989
2001 modern 468 #9,949
2002 modern 485 #9,846
2003 modern 490 #9,631
2004 modern 475 #9,871
2005 modern 452 #10,173
2006 modern 446 #10,301
2007 modern 455 #10,239
2008 modern 454 #10,334
2009 modern 454 #10,590
2010 modern 450 #10,915
2011 modern 451 #10,766
2012 modern 433 #10,996
2013 modern 448 #10,870
2014 modern 449 #10,926
2015 modern 441 #10,994
2016 modern 449 #10,816

Geography

Back to top

Where Hewins' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Hinckley (incl. Hydes Pastures), Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken, London parishes and Tredington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stratford-on-Avon, Worcester, Torridge, The Vale of Glamorgan and High Peak. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Hinckley (incl. Hydes Pastures) Leicestershire
3 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire
4 London parishes London 2
5 Tredington Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stratford-on-Avon 009 Stratford-on-Avon
2 Worcester 005 Worcester
3 Torridge 003 Torridge
4 The Vale of Glamorgan 011 Vale of Glamorgan
5 High Peak 013 High Peak

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Hewins

These lists show first names that appear often with the Hewins surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Hewins

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hewins, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Hewins surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hewins household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Hewins is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hewins is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hewins falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hewins is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Hewins, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hewins

The surname HEWINS originated in England, where it first appeared in the mid-12th century as a name for someone who lived near a hedged area or enclosure. It is derived from the Old English word "hegh," meaning hedge, and the suffix "-win," which denotes a person or place.

The earliest recorded instance of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a William Heuuyn is mentioned. In the Curia Regis Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1212, there is a reference to a Robertus Heuuin.

One notable bearer of the name was Sir John Hewins, a prominent English merchant and alderman in the City of London during the 16th century. Born in 1520, he served as the Lord Mayor of London from 1559 to 1560 and was knighted in 1561.

Another historical figure was Thomas Hewins, an English clergyman and academic who lived from 1586 to 1664. He was a Fellow of St John's College, Cambridge, and served as the rector of Boxted in Essex.

In the 17th century, there was a William Hewins, born in 1625, who was a Puritan minister in Massachusetts Bay Colony. He is known for his involvement in the Salem Witch Trials, where he signed the document condemning the accused witches.

The surname HEWINS has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Hewins Close in Oxfordshire and Hewins Farm in Berkshire. These locations likely derived their names from early settlers or landowners with the HEWINS surname.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir George Hewins, a British naval officer and explorer who lived from 1786 to 1856. He served in the Royal Navy and is remembered for his voyages to the South Pacific, where he charted several islands and coastlines.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Hewins families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hewins surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Warwickshire leads with 107 Hewins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.34x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 107 13.34x
Worcestershire 50 12.04x
Leicestershire 31 8.79x
Lincolnshire 30 5.90x
Staffordshire 27 2.52x
Gloucestershire 21 3.37x
Derbyshire 11 2.21x
Lancashire 9 0.24x
Glamorgan 7 1.26x
Berkshire 6 2.51x
Devon 5 0.76x
Middlesex 4 0.13x
Somerset 4 0.78x
Yorkshire 4 0.13x
Oxfordshire 3 1.53x
Cheshire 2 0.28x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.52x
Cumberland 1 0.37x
Herefordshire 1 0.77x
Northamptonshire 1 0.33x
Surrey 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wolverhampton in Staffordshire leads with 21 Hewins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.45x.

Place Total Index
Wolverhampton 21 25.45x
Clee With Weelsby 15 134.77x
Stratford On Avon 14 314.61x
Winchcomb 14 453.07x
Tredington 12 1052.63x
Birmingham 11 4.12x
Birtsmorton 11 3548.39x
Litchurch 11 54.92x
Old Stratford 11 242.29x
Thurlaston 11 1896.55x
Hinckley 10 119.62x
Alveston 9 857.14x
Feckenham 8 168.42x
Great Grimsby 8 24.79x
Kenilworth 8 176.99x
Warwick St Mary 8 114.94x
Cardiff St George 7 2800.00x
Coventry Holy Trinity 7 29.24x
Kidderminster Borough 7 28.81x
Norton 7 1555.56x
Weston On Avon 7 3888.89x
Monks Kirby 6 340.91x
Rugby 6 55.30x
Whitwick 6 133.93x
Hurst 5 160.26x
Oldham 5 4.11x
Aston 4 1.81x
Barnsley 4 12.31x
Bedminster 4 8.32x
Coughton 4 1538.46x
Pendleton In Salford 4 8.90x
Silverton 4 289.86x
Walsall Foreign 4 7.21x
Coleshill 3 116.73x
Coventry St Michael 3 11.65x
Legbourne 3 576.92x
North Thoresby 3 365.85x
Blockley 2 85.11x
Bruntingthorpe 2 606.06x
Chipping Campden 2 98.52x
Epwell 2 714.29x
Leamington 2 37.66x
Paddington London 2 1.71x
Shipston On Stour 2 105.82x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 2 32.00x
Barkby 1 144.93x
Belgrave 1 12.56x
Bermondsey 1 1.06x
Burslem 1 3.25x
Caversham 1 25.45x
Colwall 1 61.73x
Cow Honeybourne 1 250.00x
Crosscanonby 1 11.05x
Farnham Royal 1 87.72x
Hardwicke 1 140.85x
Haugham 1 714.29x
Hurley 1 80.65x
Leamington Priors 1 5.07x
Loxley 1 285.71x
Mickleton 1 121.95x
Milverton 1 42.55x
Nuneaton 1 10.76x
Quinton 1 185.19x
South Tawton 1 73.53x
Spratton 1 111.11x
St Ann Blackfriars London 1 169.49x
Uxbridge 1 27.55x
Weston Subedge 1 270.27x
Yardley 1 9.42x
Yoxall 1 70.42x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Hewins surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Hewins surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 23
William 23
Thomas 18
George 16
Henry 12
James 9
Alfred 8
Joseph 7
Charles 6
Edward 5
Robert 5
Samuel 5
Walter 4
Arthur 3
Herbert 3
Albert 2
Jessie 2
Richard 2
Arnold 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Jeremiah 1
Job 1
Labin 1
Oliver 1
Ralph 1
Sheardown 1
Stephen 1
Thos. 1
Will 1
Willim. 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Hewins surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hewins surname in 1881?

In 1881, 325 people were recorded with the Hewins surname. That placed it at #9,194 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hewins surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 449 in 2016. That gives Hewins a modern rank of #10,816.

What does the Hewins surname mean?

A variant spelling of the surname Huins, derived from the given name Hugh.

What does the Hewins map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Hewins bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.