NameCensus.

UK surname

Hick

A surname derived from the Middle English word "hick," meaning an unsophisticated rural person or farmer.

In the 1881 census there were 1,394 people recorded with the Hick surname, ranking it #2,968 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 942, ranked #6,091, down from #2,968 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Leeds, Kenwyn, Tregavethan and St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leeds, Selby and Redcar and Cleveland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hick is 1,533 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 32.4%.

1881 census count

1,394

Ranked #2,968

Modern count

942

2016, ranked #6,091

Peak year

1891

1,533 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hick had 1,394 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,968 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 942 in 2016, ranked #6,091.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,533 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Hick surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hick surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hick 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 1,068 #2,624
1861 historical 1,399 #2,049
1881 historical 1,394 #2,968
1891 historical 1,533 #2,877
1901 historical 1,362 #3,687
1911 historical 1,533 #3,172
1997 modern 995 #5,525
1998 modern 1,019 #5,597
1999 modern 1,037 #5,542
2000 modern 1,028 #5,567
2001 modern 994 #5,602
2002 modern 1,010 #5,644
2003 modern 989 #5,642
2004 modern 981 #5,682
2005 modern 978 #5,642
2006 modern 960 #5,742
2007 modern 947 #5,864
2008 modern 924 #6,014
2009 modern 953 #5,983
2010 modern 958 #6,084
2011 modern 957 #6,041
2012 modern 920 #6,141
2013 modern 948 #6,094
2014 modern 965 #6,048
2015 modern 937 #6,141
2016 modern 942 #6,091

Geography

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Where Hicks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Leeds, Kenwyn, Tregavethan, St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles, Scarborough and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Leeds, Selby, Redcar and Cleveland and York. 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 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Kenwyn, Tregavethan Cornwall
3 St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Scarborough Yorkshire, North Riding
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leeds 077 Leeds
2 Leeds 088 Leeds
3 Selby 001 Selby
4 Redcar and Cleveland 010 Redcar and Cleveland
5 York 016 York

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hick

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hick

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Hick is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Hick is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hick falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hick

The surname HICK has its origins in England, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "hycce," which referred to a contemptuous term for a peasant or a country dweller. The name likely emerged as a descriptive nickname for someone who lived or worked in a rural area or displayed characteristics associated with rural life.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the HICK surname can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it appears as "Hicche." This entry suggests that the name was already in use by the 13th century in the English county of Oxfordshire.

In the 14th century, the HICK surname appeared in various forms, such as "Hicke," "Hycke," and "Hyke," in various historical records, including the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379. This indicates the name's presence in different regions of England during that period.

The HICK surname has also been linked to certain place names, particularly those derived from the Old English word "hycce." For example, the village of Hickleton in South Yorkshire may have contributed to the surname's development in that region.

Notable individuals with the HICK surname throughout history include:

1. John Hick (1622-1677), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Taunton during the English Civil War. 2. Thomas Hick (1670-1743), an English-born American Quaker who settled in Pennsylvania and became a prominent landowner and businessman. 3. Edward Hick (1780-1849), an English minister and renowned painter of religious subjects, known for his naïve style. 4. William Hick (1796-1854), an English Primitive Methodist minister and co-founder of the Primitive Methodist Connexion. 5. George Hick (1822-1897), an English entrepreneur and engineer who co-founded the engineering firm of Hick, Hargreaves & Co.

The HICK surname has a long and rich history in England, spanning several centuries and reflecting the country's rural and agricultural roots. Its evolution and various spellings over time provide insight into the linguistic and social changes that shaped the development of English surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hick families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hick 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 757 Hicks recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.61x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 757 5.61x
Cornwall 127 8.24x
Middlesex 87 0.64x
Lancashire 67 0.41x
Durham 50 1.24x
Surrey 42 0.63x
Staffordshire 39 0.85x
Warwickshire 27 0.79x
Devon 23 0.81x
Shropshire 19 1.62x
Hampshire 17 0.61x
Essex 13 0.48x
Northamptonshire 12 0.94x
Kent 11 0.24x
Norfolk 10 0.48x
Somerset 10 0.46x
Wiltshire 10 0.83x
Cheshire 9 0.30x
Suffolk 9 0.54x
Worcestershire 9 0.51x
Berkshire 8 0.78x
Derbyshire 8 0.38x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.38x
Isle of Man 4 1.58x
Herefordshire 3 0.54x
Westmorland 3 1.00x
Glamorgan 2 0.08x
Lincolnshire 2 0.09x
Northumberland 2 0.10x
Bedfordshire 1 0.14x
Gloucestershire 1 0.04x
Hertfordshire 1 0.11x
Leicestershire 1 0.07x
Oxfordshire 1 0.12x
Royal Navy 1 0.62x
Sussex 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. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 63 Hicks recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.27x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 63 8.27x
Scarborough 46 37.54x
Lanivet 29 604.17x
York St Maurice 29 114.22x
Kippax 27 227.66x
Oldham 23 4.41x
Kenwyn 21 52.12x
Falsgrave 20 100.65x
Gate Fulford 20 63.51x
Dunnington In York 17 491.33x
Hinderwell 17 147.70x
Wakefield 17 16.42x
York St Mary 17 30.44x
Hutton Bushell 16 686.70x
Lilleshall 16 89.04x
Sherburn 16 144.40x
Birmingham 15 1.31x
Islington London 15 1.14x
Gateshead 14 4.62x
Hunslet 14 6.66x
Rothwell 14 51.40x
Horton In Bradford 13 6.17x
Lambeth 13 1.10x
St Pancras London 13 1.19x
Falmouth 12 22.01x
York St Margaret 12 143.54x
Aston 11 1.16x
Beverley St Martin 11 48.87x
Bradford 11 3.37x
Idle 11 17.59x
Kensington London 11 1.45x
Lanlivery 11 170.02x
Denton 10 392.16x
Downton 10 63.49x
Kea 10 87.11x
Tywardreath 10 101.11x
Witton Gilbert 10 62.58x
Headingley Cum Burley 9 10.37x
Lofthouse Cum Carlton 9 54.78x
Morley 9 12.84x
Ruswarp 9 60.00x
Tadcaster West 9 84.27x
Walsall Foreign 9 3.79x
West Bromwich 9 3.42x
Woolwich 9 5.25x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 8 16.34x
Ardwick 8 5.49x
Bakewell 8 68.67x
Basingstoke 8 24.94x
Batley 8 6.24x
Holy Trinity 8 2.47x
Ilkley 8 36.30x
Kingswinford 8 4.80x
Middlesbrough 8 4.56x
Scagglethorpe 8 672.27x
Sculcoates 8 3.74x
Suffield Cum Everley 8 1250.00x
Tipton 8 5.69x
West Ardsley 8 49.29x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 7 5.57x
Burnham Norton 7 1076.92x
Clifton In York 7 24.82x
Cressing 7 277.78x
Guisbrough Tocketts 7 419.16x
Honiton 7 44.67x
Mile End Old Town London 7 2.42x
St Austell 7 13.29x
Stockton On Tees 7 3.59x
Warthill Copyhold 7 786.52x
Bosden 6 65.08x
Ebberston 6 217.39x
Lotherton Cum Aberford 6 291.26x
Madron Penzance 6 10.71x
Manningham 6 3.61x
Plymouth St Andrew 6 2.75x
Poplar London 6 2.34x
Sedgefield 6 41.58x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 2.19x
St Marylebone London 6 0.83x
Stockton On Forest 6 288.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 97
William 86
George 55
Thomas 51
James 39
Charles 33
Joseph 30
Henry 21
Walter 18
Alfred 14
Robert 13
Samuel 13
Arthur 11
Albert 10
Frederick 10
Benjamin 9
Harry 8
Richard 7
Daniel 6
Edward 6
Fred 5
Herbert 5
Fredk. 4
Matthew 4
Peter 4
David 3
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Alexander 2
Allan 2
Christopher 2
Frank 2
Geo. 2
Henery 2
Heny. 2
Jacob 2
Leonard 2
Nicholas 2
Robt. 2
Sammy 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Wm 2
Wm. 2
Ambrose 1
Benson 1
Edmond 1
Edmund 1
Zechariah 1

FAQ

Hick surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hick surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,394 people were recorded with the Hick surname. That placed it at #2,968 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hick surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 942 in 2016. That gives Hick a modern rank of #6,091.

What does the Hick surname mean?

A surname derived from the Middle English word "hick," meaning an unsophisticated rural person or farmer.

What does the Hick map show?

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