NameCensus.

UK surname

Hewlett

Derived from a place name meaning "hill frequented by owls" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 1,853 people recorded with the Hewlett surname, ranking it #2,354 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,464, ranked #2,671, down from #2,354 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Forest of Dean, Wychavon and North Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hewlett is 2,629 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 33.0%.

1881 census count

1,853

Ranked #2,354

Modern count

2,464

2016, ranked #2,671

Peak year

2002

2,629 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hewlett had 1,853 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,354 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,464 in 2016, ranked #2,671.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,562 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hewlett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hewlett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hewlett 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 1,231 #2,318
1861 historical 1,114 #2,518
1881 historical 1,853 #2,354
1891 historical 2,002 #2,302
1901 historical 2,351 #2,308
1911 historical 2,562 #1,997
1997 modern 2,484 #2,524
1998 modern 2,618 #2,503
1999 modern 2,619 #2,515
2000 modern 2,584 #2,539
2001 modern 2,557 #2,510
2002 modern 2,629 #2,507
2003 modern 2,568 #2,501
2004 modern 2,536 #2,536
2005 modern 2,492 #2,545
2006 modern 2,444 #2,592
2007 modern 2,479 #2,588
2008 modern 2,486 #2,595
2009 modern 2,542 #2,608
2010 modern 2,573 #2,633
2011 modern 2,531 #2,642
2012 modern 2,482 #2,639
2013 modern 2,506 #2,654
2014 modern 2,499 #2,681
2015 modern 2,484 #2,667
2016 modern 2,464 #2,671

Geography

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Where Hewletts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, London parishes and St Philip and Jacob. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Forest of Dean, Wychavon, North Somerset, Test Valley and Croydon. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Forest of Dean 005 Forest of Dean
2 Wychavon 002 Wychavon
3 North Somerset 021 North Somerset
4 Test Valley 002 Test Valley
5 Croydon 032 Croydon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hewlett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hewlett

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hewlett, 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 Hewlett surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hewlett 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Hewlett is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hewlett 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

Hewlett falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hewlett is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hewlett

The surname Hewlett has its origins in England and dates back to the medieval era. It is derived from the Old English words "heowi" meaning "hay" and "let" meaning "to allow or permit," suggesting a connection to an occupation or location related to the handling or cultivation of hay.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Heuuellet." This entry suggests the presence of individuals bearing this surname in various parts of England during the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, records show the name spelled as "Heuelot" and "Hewelot," reflecting the evolution of the name over time. During this period, the name was primarily concentrated in the counties of Devon, Somerset, and Gloucestershire in the southwest of England.

Notable individuals with the surname Hewlett include Sir William Hewlett (1490-1566), a prominent English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another prominent figure was Sir John Hewlett (1614-1689), a renowned jurist and legal scholar who served as a Justice of the King's Bench and authored several influential legal texts.

In the 18th century, the name was associated with the town of Hewlett's Hill in Berkshire, England, which likely derived its name from a family or individual bearing the Hewlett surname.

During the 19th century, William Hewlett (1796-1872), an English architect and surveyor, gained recognition for his contributions to the design and construction of numerous public buildings and infrastructure projects in London.

Another notable figure was Edward Hewlett (1867-1935), a British Army officer who served with distinction during the Second Boer War and World War I, earning the Distinguished Service Order for his bravery and leadership.

Throughout history, the Hewlett surname has been associated with various occupations, including landowners, politicians, legal professionals, architects, and military officers, reflecting the diversity of individuals who have borne this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hewlett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hewlett 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. Gloucestershire leads with 284 Hewletts recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.94x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 284 7.94x
Middlesex 226 1.24x
Somerset 212 7.22x
Hampshire 126 3.37x
Surrey 115 1.29x
Kent 76 1.22x
Worcestershire 73 3.06x
Wiltshire 72 4.46x
Oxfordshire 61 5.42x
Dorset 58 4.84x
Warwickshire 58 1.26x
Sussex 51 1.66x
Yorkshire 49 0.27x
Lancashire 47 0.22x
Bedfordshire 40 4.23x
Northamptonshire 31 1.81x
Shropshire 30 1.90x
Monmouthshire 29 2.20x
Berkshire 21 1.53x
Glamorgan 21 0.66x
Staffordshire 21 0.34x
Devon 16 0.42x
Cornwall 14 0.68x
Norfolk 14 0.50x
Channel Islands 13 2.41x
Buckinghamshire 11 1.00x
Herefordshire 11 1.47x
Nottinghamshire 10 0.41x
Derbyshire 9 0.32x
Hertfordshire 9 0.72x
Cheshire 8 0.20x
Essex 8 0.22x
Royal Navy 7 3.22x
Anglesey 6 1.86x
Carmarthenshire 6 0.78x
Midlothian 6 0.25x
Suffolk 5 0.23x
Brecknockshire 4 1.10x
Caithness 4 1.60x
Lanarkshire 3 0.05x
Leicestershire 2 0.10x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.06x
Durham 1 0.02x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St Philip Jacob in Gloucestershire leads with 43 Hewletts recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.77x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St Philip Jacob 43 12.77x
Birmingham 31 2.02x
Westbury On Severn East 30 37.09x
Lambeth 28 1.76x
Gloucester Barton St 27 128.76x
Islington London 26 1.47x
St Marylebone London 26 2.67x
Croydon 24 4.86x
Stroud 22 31.60x
Paddington London 20 2.98x
Awre 19 257.80x
Portsea 19 2.59x
Aston 18 1.42x
Margate St John Baptist 18 15.80x
Ashington 17 1069.18x
Clifton 17 9.40x
St George Hanover Square 17 5.29x
Milborne Port 16 136.17x
Abbots Morton 15 1136.36x
Cheddar 15 101.56x
Crewkerne 15 48.11x
Poplar London 15 4.36x
Worle 15 247.93x
Ecclesfield 14 10.56x
Banwell 13 121.27x
Camberwell 13 1.12x
Edmonton 13 8.84x
Lewisham 13 3.92x
Michelmersh 13 179.31x
Pershore Holy Cross 13 85.13x
Westbury On Trym 13 10.73x
Wroughton 13 93.06x
Findon 12 270.88x
Marston 12 372.67x
Pulham St Mary Magdalen 12 170.45x
Sherborne 12 34.03x
West Dean 12 20.65x
Yeovil 12 20.11x
Battersea 11 1.64x
Bridport 11 44.62x
Haselbury Plucknett 11 297.30x
Homington 11 982.14x
Lanteglos 11 115.18x
South Stoneham 11 13.56x
Tonbridge 11 4.90x
Churchill 10 213.68x
Millbrook 10 10.62x
Radcliffe 10 9.58x
South Stoke 10 411.52x
Wells St Cuthbert 10 49.90x
Woolvercot 10 218.34x
Aylburton 9 221.13x
Bozeat 9 120.97x
Briton Ferry 9 23.75x
Northampton St Sepulchre 9 10.31x
Pershore St Andrew 9 68.49x
Southampton St Mary 9 3.83x
St Luke London 9 3.08x
Taunton St Mary 9 16.70x
Bedford St Paul 8 12.35x
Brighton 8 1.29x
Brimpton 8 1176.47x
Bristol St Paul In 8 8.39x
Carisbrooke 8 15.41x
Clevedon 8 26.20x
Earley 8 35.07x
Farningham 8 143.63x
Hackney London 8 0.78x
Kemberton 8 467.84x
Kings Somborne 8 102.04x
Luton 8 4.89x
Northampton Priory St 8 7.77x
Poole St James 8 17.79x
St Pancras London 8 0.54x
Standish With Langtree 8 30.01x
Swindon 8 6.39x
West Wellow 8 222.22x
Weston Super Mare 8 10.79x
Gloucester St Nicholas 7 42.25x
West Ham 7 0.88x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 104
Elizabeth 76
Sarah 59
Alice 43
Ellen 34
Jane 33
Annie 31
Eliza 29
Emma 27
Emily 26
Ann 22
Caroline 17
Louisa 17
Florence 16
Martha 16
Charlotte 14
Amelia 13
Harriet 13
Hannah 12
Edith 11
Fanny 10
Lucy 10
Margaret 10
Rose 10
Clara 9
Kate 9
Agnes 8
Catherine 8
Julia 8
Anne 7
Maud 7
Ada 6
Ethel 6
Gertrude 6
Frances 5
Maria 5
Matilda 5
Rebecca 5
Susan 5
Agness 4
Esther 4
Helen 4
Jessie 4
Laura 4
Lizzie 4
Lydia 4
Rachel 4
Ruth 4
Sophia 4
Jemima 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 118
George 87
John 71
Thomas 53
Henry 46
James 46
Alfred 38
Charles 35
Arthur 27
Frederick 23
Albert 22
Joseph 20
Samuel 19
Harry 17
Richard 17
Ernest 14
Edward 13
Frank 11
Walter 11
Robert 10
Francis 8
Herbert 8
Daniel 7
Benjamin 6
Edwin 6
Wm. 6
Sidney 5
David 4
Ebenezer 4
Oliver 4
Philip 4
Sydney 4
Andrew 3
Chas. 3
Earnest 3
Geo. 3
Jesse 3
Jno. 3
Percy 3
Alan 2
Edgar 2
Eli 2
Fred 2
Josiah 2
Laban 2
Leonard 2
Matthew 2
Maurice 2
Sydenham 2
Thos. 2

FAQ

Hewlett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hewlett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,853 people were recorded with the Hewlett surname. That placed it at #2,354 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hewlett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,464 in 2016. That gives Hewlett a modern rank of #2,671.

What does the Hewlett surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "hill frequented by owls" in Old English.

What does the Hewlett map show?

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