NameCensus.

UK surname

Hickin

An English surname possibly derived from a diminutive of the given name 'Hick'.

In the 1881 census there were 273 people recorded with the Hickin surname, ranking it #10,390 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 626, ranked #8,424, up from #10,390 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Sedgley and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North West Leicestershire, Wakefield and Doncaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hickin is 686 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 129.3%.

1881 census count

273

Ranked #10,390

Modern count

626

2016, ranked #8,424

Peak year

2010

686 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hickin had 273 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,390 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 626 in 2016, ranked #8,424.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 555 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Hickin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hickin surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Hickin 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 250 #8,788
1861 historical 267 #9,290
1881 historical 273 #10,390
1891 historical 307 #10,914
1901 historical 371 #9,997
1911 historical 555 #7,231
1997 modern 615 #8,008
1998 modern 650 #7,904
1999 modern 655 #7,905
2000 modern 638 #8,047
2001 modern 618 #8,104
2002 modern 651 #7,933
2003 modern 641 #7,902
2004 modern 632 #8,004
2005 modern 617 #8,093
2006 modern 632 #7,973
2007 modern 640 #7,962
2008 modern 656 #7,860
2009 modern 661 #7,969
2010 modern 686 #7,894
2011 modern 653 #8,128
2012 modern 632 #8,256
2013 modern 646 #8,252
2014 modern 644 #8,324
2015 modern 639 #8,304
2016 modern 626 #8,424

Geography

Back to top

Where Hickins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Sedgley, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Walsall 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 North West Leicestershire, Wakefield, Doncaster and Solihull. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Sedgley Staffordshire
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 Walsall Staffordshire
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North West Leicestershire 007 North West Leicestershire
2 Wakefield 045 Wakefield
3 Doncaster 031 Doncaster
4 Solihull 007 Solihull
5 Solihull 008 Solihull

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Hickin

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Hickin

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Hickin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Hickin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Hickin is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hickin is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Hickin

The surname Hickin is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "hic," meaning "a hack" or "a nag," which was a small horse or pony. This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who worked with horses, possibly as grooms or stable hands.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hickin can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name had already been established by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, the name Hickin appeared in various historical records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire and the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire. These documents often included variations of the name, such as Hickyn, Hykyn, and Hikeyn, reflecting the fluid nature of spelling during that era.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the name Hickin continued to appear in various records across England. One notable individual was John Hickin, who was mentioned in the Patent Rolls of 1428 as a merchant from London.

In the 16th century, the name Hickin was found in several parish records, including those of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. One notable entry from 1587 recorded the marriage of Thomas Hickin and Elizabeth Browne.

By the 17th century, the name Hickin had spread to other parts of England. In 1642, a man named William Hickin was listed as a freeman of the city of Oxford. Additionally, the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1662 recorded several individuals with the surname Hickin living in various counties, including Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Oxfordshire.

One notable figure from the 18th century was Richard Hickin (1700-1778), an English architect and surveyor who worked on several important buildings in London, including the Royal Exchange and St. Paul's Cathedral.

In the 19th century, the Hickin surname continued to be found across England, with individuals bearing the name residing in both urban and rural areas. One notable individual from this period was George Hickin (1831-1908), a British painter and engraver known for his landscapes and portraits.

Throughout its history, the surname Hickin has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Hickin Green in Hertfordshire and Hickin Mead in Oxfordshire, further reflecting its deep roots in the country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Hickin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hickin 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. Staffordshire leads with 105 Hickins recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.64x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 105 11.64x
Warwickshire 70 10.38x
Middlesex 18 0.67x
Lancashire 15 0.47x
Worcestershire 11 3.15x
Leicestershire 10 3.37x
Derbyshire 9 2.15x
Hampshire 9 1.64x
Yorkshire 8 0.30x
Surrey 6 0.46x
Nottinghamshire 4 1.11x
Cheshire 3 0.51x
Shropshire 3 1.30x
Lanarkshire 1 0.12x
Lincolnshire 1 0.23x
Royal Navy 1 3.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 31 Hickins recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.80x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 31 13.80x
Aston 30 16.16x
Tipton 15 54.29x
Willenhall 11 65.09x
Stoke Upon Trent 10 10.45x
Sedgley 9 26.86x
Wednesbury 9 39.91x
West Bromwich 9 17.43x
Garston 8 85.47x
Pilsley 8 579.71x
Wolverhampton 8 11.53x
Beausale 7 3888.89x
Wolstanton 6 21.90x
Gnosall 5 229.36x
Leicester St Margaret 5 6.92x
Preston 5 5.89x
St Marylebone London 5 3.50x
Tamworth 5 103.73x
Ventnor 5 95.97x
Walsall Foreign 5 10.73x
Dudley 4 9.43x
Holy Trinity 4 6.28x
Islington London 4 1.54x
Portsea 4 3.73x
St George In East London 4 15.91x
Lambeth 3 1.29x
Shrewsbury St Chad 3 37.04x
Thames Ditton 3 110.70x
Acton 2 12.76x
Belgrave 2 29.90x
Brewood 2 76.92x
Brightside Bierlow 2 3.85x
Chelsea London 2 2.48x
Hinckley 2 28.45x
Kings Norton 2 6.39x
Nottingham St Mary 2 2.15x
Oldbury 2 11.65x
Rushall 2 37.66x
Tettenhall 2 36.23x
Burnley 1 3.74x
Burton Extra 1 19.34x
Congleton 1 9.81x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 1.86x
Gautby 1 1111.11x
Govan 1 0.47x
Hulme 1 1.51x
Kidderminster Borough 1 4.89x
Leicester All Sts 1 17.18x
Lichfield St Mary 1 38.46x
Macclesfield 1 3.81x
Middleton 1 232.56x
North Wingfield 1 53.48x
Norton Canes 1 30.40x
Pedmore 1 217.39x
Radford 1 5.46x
Rowley Regis 1 3.98x
Royal Navy 1 3.67x
Sale 1 13.81x
Sculcoates 1 2.38x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.12x
Stafford St Chad 1 238.10x
Stapleford 1 34.13x
Stretton On Dunsmore 1 161.29x
Walsall Borough 1 14.29x
Wigginton Hopwas Hays 1 333.33x
Wollescote 1 35.59x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 20
Sarah 13
Elizabeth 12
Alice 6
Ann 6
Clara 5
Emma 5
Agnes 4
Charlotte 4
Jane 4
Eliza 3
Fanny 3
Harriet 3
Louisa 3
Ada 2
Eleanor 2
Ellen 2
Florence 2
Hannah 2
Isabella 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
Prudence 2
Susannah 2
Alberta 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Beatrice 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Cordelia 1
Edna 1
Emily 1
Ethel 1
Fannie 1
Frances 1
Francess 1
Jemima 1
Julia 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
Patience 1
Phoebe 1
Rachel 1
Rose 1
Sophia 1
Ursler 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 24
John 15
Henry 14
Charles 11
James 9
Edward 6
Joseph 6
Thomas 6
Alfred 4
George 4
Harry 3
Richard 3
Albert 2
Benjamin 2
Edwin 2
Herbert 2
Philip 2
Arthur 1
Chas. 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Giles 1
Haban 1
Hy. 1
Hy.A. 1
Jno. 1
Jonah 1
Percy 1
Phillip 1
Reynolds 1
Samuel 1
Vernon 1
Walter 1
Will. 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Hickin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hickin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 273 people were recorded with the Hickin surname. That placed it at #10,390 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hickin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 626 in 2016. That gives Hickin a modern rank of #8,424.

What does the Hickin surname mean?

An English surname possibly derived from a diminutive of the given name 'Hick'.

What does the Hickin map show?

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