NameCensus.

UK surname

Heyworth

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "high enclosure" or "hedge enclosure".

In the 1881 census there were 1,381 people recorded with the Heyworth surname, ranking it #2,986 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 799, ranked #6,918, down from #2,986 in 1881.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Heyworth is 1,703 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 42.1%.

1881 census count

1,381

Ranked #2,986

Modern count

799

2016, ranked #6,918

Peak year

1911

1,703 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Heyworth had 1,381 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,986 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 799 in 2016, ranked #6,918.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,703 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Heyworth surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Heyworth surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Heyworth 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 842 #3,228
1861 historical 874 #3,179
1881 historical 1,381 #2,986
1891 historical 1,619 #2,761
1901 historical 1,702 #3,030
1911 historical 1,703 #2,882
1997 modern 924 #5,846
1998 modern 935 #5,978
1999 modern 932 #6,040
2000 modern 914 #6,113
2001 modern 904 #6,061
2002 modern 929 #6,041
2003 modern 899 #6,094
2004 modern 878 #6,210
2005 modern 859 #6,259
2006 modern 858 #6,271
2007 modern 858 #6,331
2008 modern 839 #6,501
2009 modern 846 #6,592
2010 modern 857 #6,648
2011 modern 823 #6,785
2012 modern 816 #6,736
2013 modern 818 #6,815
2014 modern 819 #6,844
2015 modern 815 #6,825
2016 modern 799 #6,918

Geography

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Where Heyworths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Halifax, 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 Rossendale, Pendle, Chorley and Burnley. 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 Rochdale Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire
5 Whalley Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rossendale 010 Rossendale
2 Pendle 008 Pendle
3 Rossendale 003 Rossendale
4 Chorley 013 Chorley
5 Burnley 004 Burnley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Heyworth

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Heyworth

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Heyworth is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

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

Heyworth 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

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

Meaning and origin of Heyworth

The surname Heyworth has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the village of Heyworth, located in the county of Cambridgeshire. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "heg," meaning "hedge," and "worth," meaning "enclosure" or "settlement."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Heyworth." This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by that time. In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, including "Heywurth" and "Heyeworth," reflecting the variations in spelling that were common during that period.

The Heyworth surname is also associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure was Sir Humphrey Heyworth (c. 1556-1629), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Lyme Regis and Weymouth. Another prominent bearer of the name was John Heyworth (1786-1870), a British industrialist and engineer who played a significant role in the development of the textile industry in Manchester.

In the realm of literature, the name Heyworth is linked to Lawrence Heyworth (1919-2012), a British novelist and poet who wrote several acclaimed works, including "The Cellar Club" and "The Holm Fur Trade." Additionally, the name appears in historical records related to the Domesday Book, a manuscript commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, which served as a comprehensive survey of landholdings and resources in England.

Other notable individuals bearing the Heyworth surname include Robert Heyworth (1573-1649), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Jesus College, Cambridge, and Thomas Heyworth (1767-1837), a British artist known for his landscape paintings.

It is worth noting that while the Heyworth surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration. However, its origins can be traced back to the village of Heyworth in Cambridgeshire, where it first emerged as a locational name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Heyworth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Heyworth 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 1,134 Heyworths recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.09x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,134 7.09x
Yorkshire 174 1.30x
Middlesex 13 0.10x
Cheshire 12 0.40x
Monmouthshire 9 0.92x
Derbyshire 7 0.33x
Durham 7 0.17x
Stirlingshire 6 1.21x
Surrey 6 0.09x
Gloucestershire 5 0.19x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.08x
Devon 1 0.04x
Dorset 1 0.11x
Hertfordshire 1 0.11x
Lincolnshire 1 0.05x
Royal Navy 1 0.62x
Warwickshire 1 0.03x
Worcestershire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newchurch in Lancashire leads with 238 Heyworths recorded in 1881 and an index of 182.00x.

Place Total Index
Newchurch 238 182.00x
Spotland 191 107.47x
Todmorden Walsden 73 170.44x
Great Little Marsden 50 68.28x
Habergham Eaves 46 31.48x
Langfield 39 166.95x
Stansfield 35 71.25x
Great Bolton 32 15.11x
Wardleworth 31 33.94x
Higher Booths 30 104.09x
Colne 27 56.70x
Accrington 26 17.89x
Heap 24 28.31x
Wuerdle Wardle 24 49.46x
Burnley 20 14.86x
Lower Booths 18 62.85x
Manningham 18 10.94x
Oswaldtwistle 17 30.10x
Little Bolton 16 7.78x
Padiham 16 41.43x
Castleton 15 9.40x
Tottington Higher End 15 82.42x
Blatchinworth 13 35.71x
Bradford 12 3.71x
Bury 12 6.57x
Haslingden 12 18.13x
West Derby 12 2.57x
Withington 11 21.36x
Butterworth 10 25.67x
Halifax 10 5.10x
Bingley 9 10.59x
Cliviger 9 100.00x
Embsay Cum Eastby 9 166.67x
Hopwood 9 43.06x
Risca 9 49.02x
Walmersley Cum 9 35.24x
Tottington Lower End 8 10.53x
Chorley 7 7.80x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 7 40.98x
Helmington Row 7 37.49x
Rumworth 7 30.65x
Scarborough 7 5.77x
Barnoldswick 6 32.21x
Everton 6 1.18x
Falkirk 6 5.16x
Horton In Bradford 6 2.88x
Hyde 6 6.84x
Paddington London 6 1.21x
Barley With Wheatley 5 344.83x
Billington 5 76.69x
Camberwell 5 0.58x
Chapel En Le Frith 5 25.96x
Gorton 5 3.33x
Huddersfield 5 2.57x
Ince In Makerfield 5 6.72x
North Meols 5 3.20x
Preston 5 1.17x
Salford 5 1.06x
Sowerby In Halifax 5 11.45x
Whalley 5 21.46x
Chorlton On Medlock 4 1.58x
Cirencester 4 11.18x
Failsworth 4 10.94x
Golborne 4 19.20x
Higham With West Close 4 115.61x
Prestwich 4 10.03x
Rochdale 4 34.31x
Ashton On Mersey 3 19.52x
Ashton Under Lyne 3 0.86x
Barrowford Booth 3 16.96x
Barton Upon Irwell 3 2.49x
Bethnal Green London 3 0.51x
Birkdale 3 7.42x
Bowling 3 2.27x
Chelsea London 3 0.74x
Layton With Warbreck 3 5.11x
Manchester 3 0.42x
Oldham 3 0.58x
Drighlington 2 10.28x
Liverpool 2 0.21x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

FAQ

Heyworth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Heyworth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,381 people were recorded with the Heyworth surname. That placed it at #2,986 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Heyworth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 799 in 2016. That gives Heyworth a modern rank of #6,918.

What does the Heyworth surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "high enclosure" or "hedge enclosure".

What does the Heyworth map show?

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