NameCensus.

UK surname

Hey

An Anglicized form of the German surname Höhe, meaning "high" or "elevated."

In the 1881 census there were 2,647 people recorded with the Hey surname, ranking it #1,676 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,802, ranked #3,510, down from #1,676 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Halifax and Batley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees, Craven and Bradford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hey is 2,929 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 31.9%.

1881 census count

2,647

Ranked #1,676

Modern count

1,802

2016, ranked #3,510

Peak year

1901

2,929 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hey had 2,647 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,676 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,802 in 2016, ranked #3,510.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,929 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Hey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hey 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 1,749 #1,651
1881 historical 2,647 #1,676
1891 historical 8 #33,550
1901 historical 2,929 #1,910
1997 modern 1,939 #3,123
1998 modern 1,952 #3,217
1999 modern 1,978 #3,206
2000 modern 1,932 #3,253
2001 modern 1,896 #3,245
2002 modern 1,909 #3,299
2003 modern 1,865 #3,284
2004 modern 1,872 #3,280
2005 modern 1,839 #3,300
2006 modern 1,811 #3,356
2007 modern 1,795 #3,415
2008 modern 1,810 #3,419
2009 modern 1,862 #3,410
2010 modern 1,900 #3,418
2011 modern 1,847 #3,453
2012 modern 1,802 #3,477
2013 modern 1,808 #3,523
2014 modern 1,827 #3,508
2015 modern 1,805 #3,513
2016 modern 1,802 #3,510

Geography

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Where Heys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Halifax, Batley, Bradford and Keighley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirklees, Craven and Bradford. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Keighley Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirklees 052 Kirklees
2 Kirklees 005 Kirklees
3 Craven 008 Craven
4 Kirklees 054 Kirklees
5 Bradford 007 Bradford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hey

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Hey is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hey is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hey falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hey 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 Hey, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hey

The surname "HEY" is believed to have originated in England, where it first appeared in the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "heg," which means "hedge" or an enclosed area, suggesting that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a hedge or enclosure.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname "HEY" can be found in various historical documents from the Middle Ages. One notable example is the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which mention a person named John Hey. Additionally, the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379 record a William Hey.

In the 15th century, the name appeared in several manorial records, such as the Feudal Aids of 1428, which lists a Robert Hey from Staffordshire. The Hearth Tax Rolls of 1674 also mention a Samuel Hey from Lancashire.

The surname "HEY" has several variations in spelling throughout its history, including Haye, Heye, and Heigh. These variations are often associated with different regions or local dialects within England.

Regarding notable individuals bearing the surname "HEY," one can mention Sir William Hey (1619-1697), an English baronet and Member of Parliament for Yorkshire. Another prominent figure was Richard Hey (1745-1835), an English surgeon and writer on midwifery.

In the 19th century, John Hey (1786-1862) was a British geologist and writer on the geology of Derbyshire. William Heywood Hey (1772-1844) was a notable English musician and composer from Oxfordshire.

William Hey Prinsep (1794-1842) was a British indologist and antiquarian who served as an assistant to James Prinsep, the renowned scholar of Indian antiquities and numismatics.

While the surname "HEY" is more commonly found in England, it has also been recorded in other parts of the British Isles and beyond, likely due to migration and population movements over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hey 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 1,953 Heys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.62x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 1,953 7.62x
Lancashire 419 1.36x
Middlesex 53 0.20x
Surrey 33 0.26x
Derbyshire 22 0.54x
Cheshire 19 0.33x
Essex 16 0.31x
Gloucestershire 16 0.32x
Glamorgan 15 0.33x
Durham 13 0.17x
Kent 13 0.15x
Norfolk 11 0.28x
Somerset 8 0.19x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.20x
Berkshire 6 0.31x
Worcestershire 6 0.18x
Devon 5 0.09x
Hampshire 5 0.09x
Midlothian 5 0.14x
Northumberland 5 0.13x
Lanarkshire 4 0.05x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.18x
Lincolnshire 3 0.07x
Warwickshire 3 0.05x
Perthshire 2 0.17x
Shropshire 2 0.09x
Anglesey 1 0.22x
Angus 1 0.04x
Ayrshire 1 0.05x
Denbighshire 1 0.10x
Renfrewshire 1 0.05x
Sussex 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Keighley in Yorkshire leads with 140 Heys recorded in 1881 and an index of 51.22x.

Place Total Index
Keighley 140 51.22x
Haworth 102 167.32x
Manningham 83 26.27x
Halifax 71 18.86x
Kirkburton 70 231.56x
Batley 67 27.49x
Thornton In Bradford 67 78.48x
Bradford 63 10.15x
Colne 57 62.31x
Barkisland 54 290.01x
Great Little Marsden 54 38.39x
Bingley 52 31.84x
Sherburn 52 246.80x
Horton In Bradford 43 10.74x
Skelmanthorpe 41 148.12x
Northowram 40 22.24x
Dewsbury 37 14.07x
Bowling 36 14.17x
Headingley Cum Burley 35 21.20x
Leeds 35 2.42x
Wardleworth 33 18.80x
Huddersfield 32 8.56x
Kirkheaton 31 74.54x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 28 43.28x
Thurlstone 28 110.72x
Newchurch 27 10.75x
Skircoat 24 23.73x
Barnsley 23 8.70x
Burnley 23 8.89x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 22 23.62x
Oldham 22 2.22x
Wortley In Bramley 22 10.83x
Ovenden 21 18.40x
Butterworth 20 26.73x
Spotland 19 5.57x
Soyland 18 58.50x
Hackney London 17 1.17x
Hunslet 17 4.25x
Liversedge 17 14.89x
Habergham Eaves 16 5.70x
Clayton 15 23.90x
Sculcoates 14 3.44x
Wuerdle Wardle 14 15.02x
Castleton 13 4.24x
Dalton In Huddersfield 13 22.63x
Eccleshill 13 20.83x
Rochdale 13 58.06x
Shipley 13 9.77x
Beamsley In Skipton 12 736.20x
Dodworth 12 45.05x
Heaton 12 43.56x
Morton In Keighley 12 59.58x
Mottram 12 46.37x
Slaithwaite 12 44.94x
Wilsden 12 45.56x
Ardwick 11 3.97x
Hipperholme Cum 11 9.76x
Holbeck 11 6.47x
Huntwick Cum Nostell 11 216.11x
Salford 11 1.22x
Shepley 11 77.79x
Wakefield 11 5.59x
Warley 11 14.84x
Armley 10 8.84x
Barugh 10 46.17x
Beamsley In Addington 10 3703.70x
Croydon 10 1.43x
Horsforth 10 17.78x
South Crosland 10 37.04x
Southowram 10 12.77x
Almondbury 9 7.26x
Bradfield 9 9.10x
Bristol St George 9 3.83x
Mirfield 9 6.39x
West Derby 9 1.00x
Wooldale 9 20.69x
Golcar 8 11.80x
Gomersal 8 6.68x
Litchurch 8 4.91x
North Meols 8 2.66x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 212
Sarah 122
Elizabeth 94
Hannah 59
Ann 58
Emma 55
Annie 51
Martha 49
Jane 41
Alice 33
Margaret 29
Ellen 27
Emily 26
Eliza 24
Maria 23
Clara 20
Ada 19
Susannah 19
Harriet 13
Florence 12
Susan 11
Edith 10
Fanny 10
Lucy 10
Betty 9
Grace 9
Rebecca 9
Ruth 9
Frances 8
Lilly 8
Rose 8
Agnes 7
Lydia 7
Minnie 7
Anne 6
Caroline 6
Catherine 6
Elizth. 6
Louisa 6
Rachel 6
Isabella 5
Kate 5
Amelia 4
Bertha 4
Charlotte 4
Eliz. 4
Julia 3
Lavinia 3
Marie 3
Maud 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 156
William 111
James 101
George 81
Joseph 67
Thomas 60
Arthur 39
Henry 31
Benjamin 28
Walter 28
Richard 24
Robert 22
Samuel 22
Albert 21
Harry 19
Charles 18
Alfred 17
Fred 17
Jonas 15
Herbert 14
Stephen 12
Tom 12
David 11
Edward 10
Ernest 10
Frank 10
Abraham 9
Edmund 8
Joe 8
Willie 8
Wm. 8
Frederick 7
Sam 7
Edwin 6
Enoch 5
Adam 4
Ben 4
Hugh 4
Isaac 4
Jeremiah 4
Jesse 4
Jno. 4
Joshua 4
Martin 4
Michael 4
Alexander 3
Charley 3
Hiram 3
Jonathan 3
Peter 3

FAQ

Hey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,647 people were recorded with the Hey surname. That placed it at #1,676 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,802 in 2016. That gives Hey a modern rank of #3,510.

What does the Hey surname mean?

An Anglicized form of the German surname Höhe, meaning "high" or "elevated."

What does the Hey map show?

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