NameCensus.

UK surname

Heyes

An English surname derived from a place name referring to a hedge or hedged enclosure.

In the 1881 census there were 2,337 people recorded with the Heyes surname, ranking it #1,902 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,258, ranked #2,089, down from #1,902 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wigan, Bolton-le-Moors and Blackburn. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan, St. Helens and Bolton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Heyes is 3,712 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.4%.

1881 census count

2,337

Ranked #1,902

Modern count

3,258

2016, ranked #2,089

Peak year

1911

3,712 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Heyes had 2,337 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,902 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,258 in 2016, ranked #2,089.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,712 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Heyes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Heyes surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Heyes 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 1,573 #1,833
1861 historical 1,294 #2,204
1881 historical 2,337 #1,902
1891 historical 2,674 #1,780
1901 historical 3,233 #1,730
1911 historical 3,712 #1,400
1997 modern 3,450 #1,875
1998 modern 3,431 #1,951
1999 modern 3,559 #1,909
2000 modern 3,547 #1,911
2001 modern 3,499 #1,891
2002 modern 3,549 #1,914
2003 modern 3,431 #1,931
2004 modern 3,393 #1,954
2005 modern 3,299 #1,976
2006 modern 3,324 #1,965
2007 modern 3,368 #1,954
2008 modern 3,360 #1,987
2009 modern 3,422 #1,995
2010 modern 3,460 #2,015
2011 modern 3,387 #2,031
2012 modern 3,284 #2,048
2013 modern 3,354 #2,048
2014 modern 3,358 #2,055
2015 modern 3,308 #2,064
2016 modern 3,258 #2,089

Geography

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Where Heyes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wigan, Bolton-le-Moors, Blackburn and Prescot. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan, St. Helens and Bolton. 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 Wigan Lancashire
2 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
3 Blackburn Lancashire
4 Prescot Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 014 Wigan
2 St. Helens 019 St. Helens
3 Wigan 011 Wigan
4 St. Helens 016 St. Helens
5 Bolton 024 Bolton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Heyes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Heyes

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Heyes, 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 Heyes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Heyes 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Heyes is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Heyes is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Heyes 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 Heyes 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 Heyes, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Heyes

The surname HEYES originated in England, likely in the early medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "hege," which referred to a hedge or enclosure, suggesting that the name may have been originally borne by someone who lived near a hedged or enclosed area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name HEYES can be found in the Lancashire Inquests, Extents, and Feudal Aids, dated around 1310, where a person named William de Heyes is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already established in the region of Lancashire by the early 14th century.

In the 15th century, the HEYES surname appears in various historical records, such as the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1428, where a John Heyes is listed. The Feet of Fines were legal documents recording land transfers, indicating that the HEYES family had established itself as landowners during this period.

The HEYES surname is also associated with several place names, such as Heyes in Cheshire and Heyes in Lancashire. These place names likely derived from the Old English word "hege," further reinforcing the connection between the surname and the concept of an enclosed or hedged area.

One notable figure with the surname HEYES was John Heyes (c. 1545 - c. 1610), an English poet and playwright during the Elizabethan era. He is best known for his work "The Overthrow of Stage-Playes," which criticized the theater and plays of his time.

Another prominent individual was Thomas Heyes (1784 - 1859), an English engraver and artist who produced numerous illustrations for books and periodicals in the early 19th century.

In the field of science, James Heyes (1844 - 1915) was a British botanist and entomologist who made significant contributions to the study of plant galls and insects that cause them.

The HEYES surname also has a connection to the legal profession, with Sir Edward Heyes (1847 - 1917) serving as a judge in the High Court of Justice in England.

Lastly, the name is associated with the military through figures like Captain William Heyes (1821 - 1894), a British army officer who served in the Crimean War and the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Heyes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Heyes 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. Lancashire leads with 2,140 Heyes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.97x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 2,140 7.97x
Yorkshire 52 0.23x
Cheshire 46 0.92x
Middlesex 16 0.07x
Surrey 16 0.15x
Staffordshire 8 0.10x
Devon 5 0.11x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.16x
Gloucestershire 4 0.09x
Montgomeryshire 4 0.77x
Huntingdonshire 3 0.67x
Shropshire 3 0.15x
Derbyshire 2 0.06x
Durham 2 0.03x
Hampshire 2 0.04x
Warwickshire 2 0.04x
Worcestershire 2 0.07x
Flintshire 1 0.16x
Herefordshire 1 0.11x
Kent 1 0.01x
Monmouthshire 1 0.06x
Oxfordshire 1 0.07x
Renfrewshire 1 0.06x
Somerset 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wigan in Lancashire leads with 169 Heyes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 45.05x.

Place Total Index
Wigan 169 45.05x
Aspull 142 224.90x
Little Bolton 126 36.51x
Great Bolton 111 31.22x
Blackburn 96 13.44x
Hindley 74 64.66x
Widnes 63 32.54x
Liverpool 60 3.68x
Billinge Chapel End 49 325.37x
Ince In Makerfield 49 39.23x
Upholland 39 113.37x
Rainford 38 130.90x
West Derby 35 4.46x
Simonswood 33 916.67x
Bickerstaffe 31 176.44x
Standish With Langtree 31 93.77x
Windle 29 19.20x
Farnworth 28 17.41x
Halliwell 28 28.66x
Pemberton 28 26.16x
Prescot 28 57.68x
Rumworth 28 72.99x
Great Harwood 24 49.46x
Huyton With Roby 23 73.13x
Everton 22 2.57x
Middle Hulton 22 138.36x
Little Lever 21 61.17x
Sutton 21 23.33x
Kirkby 19 174.95x
Kirkdale 19 4.21x
Salford 19 2.41x
Bury 18 5.87x
Darcy Lever 18 116.43x
Hulme 18 3.21x
Leeds 18 1.42x
Ashton Under Lyne 15 2.56x
Chorley 15 9.96x
Little Hulton 15 33.75x
Warrington 15 4.71x
Westhoughton 15 20.94x
Golborne 14 40.01x
Haydock 14 30.27x
Skelmersdale 14 31.30x
Dukinfield 13 5.63x
Heaton 12 106.01x
Lambeth 12 0.61x
Tonge With Haulgh 12 22.97x
Toxteth Park 12 1.32x
Church 11 29.02x
Hawes 11 75.03x
Wheelton 11 91.59x
Eccleston In Prescot 10 7.42x
Haigh 10 106.95x
Ince Blundell 10 243.90x
Lathom 10 30.85x
Preston 10 1.39x
Ainsworth 9 86.62x
Ashton In Makerfield 9 11.77x
Blackrod 9 26.98x
Bootle Cum Linacre 9 4.22x
Chadderton 9 6.86x
Orrell 9 26.97x
Parr 9 9.37x
Raby 9 486.49x
Rixton With Glazebrook 9 131.77x
Worsley 9 5.44x
Astley 8 38.63x
Birkenhead 8 2.01x
Habergham Eaves 8 3.26x
Litherland 8 14.26x
Oldham 8 0.92x
Rainhill 8 46.51x
Walton On Hill 8 5.50x
Winstanley 8 189.57x
Accrington 7 2.87x
Livesey 7 14.86x
North Meols 7 2.66x
Honley 6 15.29x
Witton 6 17.77x
Wolverhampton 6 1.02x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 197
Elizabeth 124
Alice 83
Ellen 75
Margaret 72
Sarah 69
Ann 65
Jane 55
Martha 36
Hannah 32
Catherine 23
Annie 21
Emma 17
Isabella 16
Eliza 15
Esther 13
Nancy 13
Harriet 11
Betty 9
Charlotte 9
Maria 8
Agnes 7
Emily 7
Frances 7
Amelia 6
Anne 6
Betsy 6
Edith 6
Eliz. 6
Florence 6
Bridget 5
Elizth. 5
Fanny 5
Lucy 5
Amy 4
Eleanor 4
Rachel 4
Susannah 4
Ada 3
Caroline 3
Ester 3
Gertrude 3
Jessie 3
Kate 3
Margt. 3
Rachael 3
Catharine 2
Cecilia 2
Louisa 2
M.A. 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 180
James 131
Thomas 125
William 116
Henry 62
Joseph 52
Robert 43
George 37
Peter 32
Richard 31
Samuel 26
Edward 23
Ralph 16
Albert 14
Charles 13
Walter 12
Alfred 11
Arthur 8
Harry 8
David 7
Hugh 7
Matthew 7
Thos. 7
Francis 6
Timothy 6
Abraham 5
Fred 5
Wm. 5
Alexander 4
Christopher 4
Daniel 4
Frederick 4
Herbert 4
Joshua 4
Michael 4
Nicholas 4
Richd. 4
Edwin 3
Isaac 3
Lawrence 3
Reuben 3
Roger 3
Adam 2
Benjamin 2
Ernest 2
Gerrard 2
Giles 2
Harold 2
Patrick 2
Samson 2

FAQ

Heyes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Heyes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,337 people were recorded with the Heyes surname. That placed it at #1,902 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Heyes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,258 in 2016. That gives Heyes a modern rank of #2,089.

What does the Heyes surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name referring to a hedge or hedged enclosure.

What does the Heyes map show?

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