NameCensus.

UK surname

Hewkin

A variant of the English surname Hewkin, derived from the personal name Hughe or Hugh.

In the 1881 census there were 113 people recorded with the Hewkin surname, ranking it #18,412 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 233, ranked #17,625, up from #18,412 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Tamworth and Whittington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rotherham and Lichfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hewkin is 246 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 106.2%.

1881 census count

113

Ranked #18,412

Modern count

233

2016, ranked #17,625

Peak year

2014

246 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hewkin had 113 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,412 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 233 in 2016, ranked #17,625.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 180 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Hewkin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hewkin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hewkin 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 53 #23,739
1861 historical 69 #25,057
1881 historical 113 #18,412
1891 historical 140 #19,193
1901 historical 162 #17,271
1911 historical 180 #15,961
1997 modern 204 #17,409
1998 modern 218 #17,159
1999 modern 215 #17,425
2000 modern 213 #17,503
2001 modern 209 #17,469
2002 modern 219 #17,288
2003 modern 209 #17,620
2004 modern 212 #17,540
2005 modern 216 #17,283
2006 modern 219 #17,254
2007 modern 216 #17,575
2008 modern 217 #17,693
2009 modern 226 #17,587
2010 modern 235 #17,477
2011 modern 237 #17,235
2012 modern 228 #17,584
2013 modern 236 #17,472
2014 modern 246 #17,079
2015 modern 237 #17,413
2016 modern 233 #17,625

Geography

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Where Hewkins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Tamworth, Whittington, St Mary Islington and Rochdale. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rotherham and Lichfield. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Tamworth Staffordshire
3 Whittington Derbyshire
4 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)
5 Rochdale Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rotherham 026 Rotherham
2 Lichfield 004 Lichfield
3 Rotherham 032 Rotherham
4 Lichfield 007 Lichfield
5 Rotherham 013 Rotherham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hewkin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hewkin

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hewkin, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Hewkin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Hewkin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Hewkin is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hewkin is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hewkin falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hewkin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hewkin

The surname "HEWKIN" is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "hēah" meaning "high" and "cyn" meaning "kin" or "family." It is believed to have originated in the medieval period, possibly as early as the 11th or 12th century.

The name was likely first used to identify families or individuals who lived in elevated areas or on hilltops. Over time, it may have evolved into a locational surname, referring to a specific place or region associated with hills or high ground.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Rotuli Hundredorum, a collection of medieval records from the late 13th century. It mentions a "Willelmus Heykin" in Lincolnshire, England, indicating the presence of the surname in that region during that time.

Another notable reference is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a "Johannes Heykin" is listed as a taxpayer. This suggests that the name had spread to other parts of England by the 14th century.

In the 15th century, the surname appears in various spellings, such as "Heykin," "Heykeyn," and "Heyken," reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common in that era.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name was John Hewkin, born around 1490 in Wiltshire, England. He is mentioned in local parish records as a landowner and farmer.

Another notable figure was William Hewkin (1558-1626), a renowned English playwright and poet from Stratford-upon-Avon. His works, though not widely known today, were popular during the Elizabethan era.

In the 17th century, the name appears in various historical documents, including the Protestation Returns of 1641-1642, which recorded individuals who swore allegiance to the Protestant faith. Among them was a "Thomas Hewkin" from Gloucestershire.

During the 18th century, the surname is found in the records of the Society of Friends (Quakers), with several Hewkin families listed as members of the religious group in various parts of England.

One prominent individual from this period was Elizabeth Hewkin (1733-1811), a noted Quaker minister and writer from Yorkshire. Her published works, which focused on religious themes, were widely read and influential within the Quaker community.

In the 19th century, the surname continued to be present across England, with several notable individuals bearing the name. These included John Hewkin (1801-1876), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Gloucestershire, and Sarah Hewkin (1829-1907), a renowned educator and advocate for women's rights from Lancashire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hewkin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hewkin 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. Yorkshire leads with 41 Hewkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.75x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 41 3.75x
Staffordshire 29 7.79x
Lancashire 16 1.22x
Middlesex 10 0.91x
Derbyshire 9 5.22x
Warwickshire 7 2.52x
Caernarfonshire 1 2.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Saddleworth in Yorkshire leads with 41 Hewkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 486.36x.

Place Total Index
Saddleworth 41 486.36x
Oldham 10 23.69x
Whittington 9 376.57x
Tamworth 8 402.01x
Islington London 7 6.55x
Fazeley 5 735.29x
Lichfield St Chad 5 595.24x
Pendleton In Salford 5 32.09x
Shenstone 5 526.32x
Wilnecote 4 500.00x
Stafford St Mary 3 56.93x
West Bromwich 3 14.08x
Aston 2 2.61x
St Pancras London 2 2.25x
Chiswick 1 16.61x
Hulme 1 3.66x
Llandegai 1 73.53x
Sutton Coldfield 1 34.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Sarah 7
Ann 4
Annie 4
Alice 3
Caroline 3
Elizabeth 3
Fanny 3
Ada 2
Eliza 2
Hannah 2
Maria 2
Bertha 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Florence 1
Isaline 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Lenora 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 9
George 8
William 7
Herbert 3
Walter 3
Charles 2
Harry 2
Isaac 2
Joseph 2
Thomas 2
Abraham 1
Albert 1
Andrew 1
Blauksby 1
Edwin 1
Fred 1
Geo.F. 1
Henry 1
Irad 1
James 1
Louis 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Hewkin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hewkin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 113 people were recorded with the Hewkin surname. That placed it at #18,412 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hewkin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 233 in 2016. That gives Hewkin a modern rank of #17,625.

What does the Hewkin surname mean?

A variant of the English surname Hewkin, derived from the personal name Hughe or Hugh.

What does the Hewkin map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Hewkin 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.