NameCensus.

UK surname

Heys

A habitational name referring to someone who lived near bushes or hedges.

In the 1881 census there were 2,195 people recorded with the Heys surname, ranking it #2,023 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,323, ranked #4,538, down from #2,023 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) and Whalley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hyndburn, Burnley and Pendle.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Heys is 2,357 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 39.7%.

1881 census count

2,195

Ranked #2,023

Modern count

1,323

2016, ranked #4,538

Peak year

1891

2,357 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Heys had 2,195 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,023 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,323 in 2016, ranked #4,538.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,357 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Heys surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Heys surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Heys 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 1,674 #1,719
1861 historical 1,607 #1,773
1881 historical 2,195 #2,023
1891 historical 2,357 #1,990
1901 historical 2,174 #2,477
1911 historical 2,318 #2,192
1997 modern 1,426 #4,077
1998 modern 1,482 #4,099
1999 modern 1,456 #4,177
2000 modern 1,448 #4,181
2001 modern 1,419 #4,177
2002 modern 1,433 #4,215
2003 modern 1,391 #4,242
2004 modern 1,387 #4,259
2005 modern 1,315 #4,398
2006 modern 1,324 #4,385
2007 modern 1,305 #4,471
2008 modern 1,320 #4,453
2009 modern 1,366 #4,409
2010 modern 1,386 #4,439
2011 modern 1,351 #4,489
2012 modern 1,278 #4,646
2013 modern 1,313 #4,615
2014 modern 1,330 #4,587
2015 modern 1,332 #4,536
2016 modern 1,323 #4,538

Geography

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Where Heys' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) and Whalley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hyndburn, Burnley and Pendle. 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 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire
3 Whalley Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hyndburn 004 Hyndburn
2 Burnley 004 Burnley
3 Burnley 010 Burnley
4 Burnley 007 Burnley
5 Pendle 008 Pendle

Forenames

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First names often paired with Heys

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Heys

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

Heys is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Heys

The surname HEYS is of English origin, deriving from the Middle English word "heys" or "heys", meaning "hedges" or "enclosures". It is likely that the name originated as a locational surname, referring to someone who lived near a hedge or fenced area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname HEYS can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, which mention a Richard de Hays. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also record a John del Heys in Cambridgeshire.

The HEYS surname is believed to have originated in the northern counties of England, particularly Lancashire and Yorkshire, where variations such as Heys, Haise, and Heyes were commonly found in parish records from the 13th to 16th centuries.

In the 14th century, the HEYS name appeared in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire, where individuals such as John del Heys and Willelmus del Heys were recorded. This suggests that the name was well-established in the region during this period.

One notable bearer of the HEYS surname was Sir John Heys (c. 1550-1610), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Lancashire in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

Another prominent figure was Edward Heys (1647-1714), an English Puritan minister and writer who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Bury, Lancashire.

In the 18th century, the HEYS name was associated with the village of Heysham, near Morecambe Bay in Lancashire, which may have derived its name from the Old English "heys" meaning "enclosure".

Other historical figures bearing the HEYS surname include Robert Heys (1675-1762), an English clock and watchmaker from Lancashire, and Mary Heys (1733-1812), an English writer and poet from Yorkshire.

The HEYS surname has also been found in various placenames throughout England, such as Heyshott in West Sussex, Heysham in Lancashire, and Heyrigg in Cumbria, further reinforcing its connection to the concept of hedges or enclosures.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Heys families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Heys 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 1,942 Heys' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.67x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,942 7.67x
Yorkshire 93 0.44x
Cheshire 44 0.93x
Derbyshire 23 0.69x
Renfrewshire 23 1.39x
Middlesex 21 0.10x
Kent 12 0.16x
Staffordshire 12 0.17x
Durham 6 0.09x
Northamptonshire 4 0.20x
Warwickshire 2 0.04x
Angus 1 0.05x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.11x
Channel Islands 1 0.16x
Herefordshire 1 0.11x
Royal Navy 1 0.39x
Worcestershire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Accrington in Lancashire leads with 159 Heys' recorded in 1881 and an index of 69.05x.

Place Total Index
Accrington 159 69.05x
Haslingden 150 143.03x
Spotland 107 38.00x
Newchurch 100 48.26x
Habergham Eaves 97 41.90x
Clayton Le Moors 69 140.42x
Oswaldtwistle 63 70.41x
Blackburn 62 9.20x
Padiham 53 86.62x
Castleton 45 17.79x
Lower Booths 45 99.16x
Over Darwen 45 22.24x
Bury 43 14.86x
Tottington Lower End 40 33.24x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 34 125.65x
Preston 34 5.02x
Rochdale 32 173.25x
Burnley 30 14.07x
Elland Cum Greetland 28 29.39x
Oldham 28 3.43x
Walmersley Cum 25 61.77x
Glossop Dale 23 14.70x
Higher Booths 23 50.37x
Neilston 23 27.70x
Colne 22 29.16x
Whalley 22 59.60x
Musbury 21 283.40x
Heaton Norris 20 13.87x
Tottington Higher End 20 69.37x
Ashton Under Lyne 18 3.25x
Clitheroe 17 22.81x
Livesey 17 38.25x
Lower Darwen 17 51.14x
North Meols 17 6.86x
Saddleworth 17 10.42x
Wardleworth 17 11.75x
Salford 16 2.15x
Heap 15 11.17x
Ardwick 14 6.13x
Pendleton In Salford 14 4.64x
Church 13 36.35x
Hulme 13 2.46x
Dukinfield 12 5.51x
Elton 11 12.57x
Manchester 11 0.97x
Farnworth 10 6.59x
Layton With Warbreck 10 10.76x
Soothill 10 13.09x
Swanscombe 10 30.56x
Wheelton 10 88.26x
Croston 9 68.75x
Droylsden 9 10.89x
Gorton 9 3.78x
Whittle Le Woods 9 107.27x
Brindle 8 91.64x
Chorlton On Medlock 8 1.99x
Great Harwood 8 17.47x
Great Little Marsden 8 6.90x
Sale 8 13.84x
Bow London 7 2.58x
Dalton In Furness 7 7.16x
Fulham London 7 2.26x
Halliwell 7 7.59x
Hopwood 7 21.14x
Parr 7 7.73x
Radcliffe 7 5.73x
Rishton 7 23.56x
Widnes 7 3.83x
Blackrod 6 19.07x
Cliviger 6 42.08x
Ightenhill Park 6 400.00x
Monkwearmouth 6 9.87x
Moss Side 6 4.50x
Rowley Regis 6 2.99x
Royton 6 7.74x
Rumworth 6 16.58x
Rusholme 6 8.88x
Walsall Foreign 6 1.61x
Withnell 6 38.61x
Stockport 5 2.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 192
Elizabeth 113
Sarah 90
Alice 73
Jane 61
Hannah 43
Margaret 41
Ann 40
Ellen 34
Martha 34
Betty 22
Annie 20
Betsy 18
Susannah 18
Emma 16
Nancy 15
Maria 14
Isabella 13
Eliza 12
Rachel 12
Emily 11
Clara 10
Susan 10
Catherine 9
Fanny 8
Harriet 8
Matilda 7
Grace 6
Louisa 6
Ada 5
Anne 5
Lucy 5
Amelia 4
Bridget 4
Esther 4
Sophia 4
Abigail 3
Adelaide 3
Agnes 3
Caroline 3
Christiana 3
Elizth. 3
Florence 3
Gertrude 3
Margret 3
Margt. 3
Phoebe 3
Rachael 3
Rebecca 3
Ruth 3

Top male names

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

FAQ

Heys surname: questions and answers

How common was the Heys surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,195 people were recorded with the Heys surname. That placed it at #2,023 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Heys surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,323 in 2016. That gives Heys a modern rank of #4,538.

What does the Heys surname mean?

A habitational name referring to someone who lived near bushes or hedges.

What does the Heys map show?

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