NameCensus.

UK surname

Higginson

A surname derived from the given name "Higgins", a diminutive of Hugh.

In the 1881 census there were 2,995 people recorded with the Higginson surname, ranking it #1,495 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,878, ranked #1,740, down from #1,495 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolstanton, Manchester and Preston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newtongrange, South Lakeland and Dudley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Higginson is 4,123 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.5%.

1881 census count

2,995

Ranked #1,495

Modern count

3,878

2016, ranked #1,740

Peak year

1999

4,123 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Higginson had 2,995 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,495 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,878 in 2016, ranked #1,740.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,923 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Higginson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Higginson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Higginson 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 2,094 #1,390
1861 historical 2,009 #1,447
1881 historical 2,995 #1,495
1891 historical 3,187 #1,486
1901 historical 3,722 #1,509
1911 historical 3,923 #1,311
1997 modern 3,819 #1,699
1998 modern 4,076 #1,655
1999 modern 4,123 #1,645
2000 modern 4,062 #1,665
2001 modern 3,999 #1,652
2002 modern 4,038 #1,674
2003 modern 3,975 #1,667
2004 modern 3,935 #1,686
2005 modern 3,841 #1,700
2006 modern 3,854 #1,700
2007 modern 3,917 #1,684
2008 modern 3,936 #1,683
2009 modern 4,023 #1,686
2010 modern 4,048 #1,713
2011 modern 4,012 #1,711
2012 modern 3,873 #1,738
2013 modern 3,960 #1,730
2014 modern 3,968 #1,734
2015 modern 3,894 #1,744
2016 modern 3,878 #1,740

Geography

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Where Higginsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolstanton, Manchester, Preston, Blackburn and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newtongrange, South Lakeland, Dudley, Newbattle and Dalhousie and Manchester. 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 Wolstanton Staffordshire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Preston Lancashire
4 Blackburn Lancashire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newtongrange Midlothian
2 South Lakeland 013 South Lakeland
3 Dudley 001 Dudley
4 Newbattle and Dalhousie Midlothian
5 Manchester 017 Manchester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Higginson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Higginson

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Higginson 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

Higginson 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

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

Meaning and origin of Higginson

The surname Higginson is of English origin and dates back to the 13th century. It is a locational name derived from the place name Higginson, located near Whalley in Lancashire. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English words "hycgan" meaning to think or desire, and "tun" meaning an enclosure or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Higginson can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire from the year 1332, where it is listed as "Hicchenson". This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the 14th century.

The Higginson family was well-known in Lancashire during the medieval period, and several members of the family are mentioned in historical records. One notable figure was Edward Higginson, a merchant and landowner who lived in the 16th century and played a role in the English Reformation.

Another prominent individual with the Higginson surname was Francis Higginson, an English Puritan minister who was born in 1588. He was a leader of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and played a significant role in the early settlement of New England.

In the 17th century, the Higginson family had established themselves in various parts of England, including Shropshire and Berkshire. One notable member from this period was Nathaniel Higginson, a merchant and colonist who was born in 1652 and later settled in Salem, Massachusetts.

The Higginson name has also been associated with several notable writers and intellectuals throughout history. One such figure was Thomas Wentworth Higginson, an American author, abolitionist, and soldier who lived from 1823 to 1911. He was deeply involved in the anti-slavery movement and played a key role in the recruitment of African American soldiers during the American Civil War.

Another renowned individual with the Higginson surname was Mary Thacher Higginson, an American writer and activist born in 1844. She was a prominent figure in the women's suffrage movement and a vocal advocate for social reform and women's rights.

The Higginson name has also been carried by several individuals in the fields of education and academia. One notable example is Edward Higginson, an English mathematician and astronomer who lived from 1670 to 1735 and made significant contributions to the development of calculus.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Higginson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Higginson 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 1,344 Higginsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.87x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,344 3.87x
Cheshire 304 4.71x
Staffordshire 238 2.41x
Shropshire 228 9.02x
Middlesex 185 0.63x
Warwickshire 135 1.83x
Leicestershire 100 3.08x
Yorkshire 78 0.27x
Surrey 52 0.36x
Worcestershire 47 1.23x
Herefordshire 39 3.25x
Kent 33 0.33x
Derbyshire 25 0.55x
Oxfordshire 22 1.22x
Flintshire 20 2.54x
Hampshire 16 0.27x
Montgomeryshire 13 1.94x
Somerset 13 0.28x
Durham 10 0.11x
Westmorland 10 1.56x
Cumberland 9 0.36x
Denbighshire 9 0.81x
Devon 8 0.13x
Sussex 7 0.14x
Bedfordshire 6 0.40x
Lincolnshire 5 0.11x
Caernarfonshire 4 0.34x
Glamorgan 4 0.08x
Lanarkshire 4 0.04x
Northumberland 4 0.09x
Ayrshire 3 0.14x
Dorset 3 0.16x
Gloucestershire 3 0.05x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.08x
Essex 2 0.03x
Hertfordshire 2 0.10x
Renfrewshire 2 0.09x
Anglesey 1 0.19x
Berkshire 1 0.05x
Clackmannanshire 1 0.41x
Isle of Man 1 0.18x
Northamptonshire 1 0.04x
Royal Navy 1 0.29x
Rutland 1 0.47x
Wiltshire 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. Preston in Lancashire leads with 153 Higginsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.48x.

Place Total Index
Preston 153 16.48x
Blackburn 78 8.45x
Manchester 75 4.81x
Toxteth Park 68 5.79x
Little Bolton 51 11.43x
Aston 49 2.41x
Hulme 49 6.76x
Liverpool 36 1.71x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 36 36.04x
Great Bolton 35 7.61x
West Derby 34 3.35x
Madeley 33 35.62x
Farnworth 32 15.39x
Reddish 30 62.76x
Shoreditch London 30 2.37x
Birmingham 29 1.18x
Wolstanton 29 9.67x
Hinckley 26 33.81x
Leicester St Margaret 26 3.29x
Salford 26 2.55x
Tonge With Haulgh 25 37.01x
Warrington 25 6.08x
Wolstanton Oldcott 25 69.91x
Barrow In Furness 24 5.09x
Kirkdale 24 4.11x
Bermondsey 22 2.53x
Stayley 22 29.81x
Great Harwood 21 33.48x
Halliwell 21 16.63x
Mobberley 21 142.47x
Stoke Upon Trent 21 2.01x
Clerkenwell London 20 2.90x
Urmston 20 88.85x
Walton Le Dale 20 21.45x
Wednesfield 20 13.77x
Audley 18 18.43x
Stretford 18 9.43x
Chester St Oswald 17 14.54x
Dudley 17 3.66x
Oldham 17 1.52x
Ruyton Of Eleven Towns 17 152.33x
Wavertree 17 15.30x
Bedford 16 22.04x
Church Coppenhall 16 55.44x
Ellesmere 16 36.88x
Monks Coppenhall 16 6.57x
Newton In Ashton Under 16 25.12x
Parr 16 12.89x
Barrow 15 206.90x
Dawley 15 16.32x
Higher Bebington 15 36.30x
Atherton 14 11.08x
Chorley 14 7.19x
Chorlton On Medlock 14 2.54x
Pendleton In Salford 14 3.39x
Birkenhead 13 2.53x
Hackney London 13 0.79x
Newton In Northwich 13 66.16x
Chebsey 12 238.10x
Childs Ercall 12 273.35x
Oxford St Thomas 12 14.24x
Bridstow 11 161.05x
Chirbury 11 73.88x
Hanwell 11 21.22x
Lancaster 11 5.33x
Pontesbury 11 35.80x
St George Hanover Square 11 2.13x
St Luke London 11 2.35x
St Pancras London 11 0.47x
Tranmere 11 4.64x
Widnes 11 4.39x
Acton 10 5.83x
Barton Upon Irwell 10 3.83x
Clayton Le Moors 10 14.85x
Flixton 10 56.24x
Gt Hanwood 10 308.64x
Kendal 10 8.50x
Meriden 10 119.33x
Baschurch 9 52.05x
Gt Ness 9 136.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 245
Elizabeth 135
Sarah 107
Jane 79
Ann 69
Ellen 58
Alice 53
Martha 53
Emma 48
Annie 44
Margaret 43
Hannah 35
Emily 33
Eliza 32
Harriet 20
Catherine 18
Frances 17
Maria 16
Fanny 15
Louisa 15
Ada 14
Edith 14
Agnes 13
Charlotte 13
Isabella 13
Anne 10
Elizth. 10
Caroline 9
Matilda 9
Esther 8
Jessie 8
Lucy 8
Florence 7
Kate 7
Bertha 6
Clara 6
Susannah 6
Eliz. 5
Harriett 5
Priscilla 5
Rachel 5
Rose 5
Selina 5
Susan 5
Amelia 4
Bridget 4
Cathrine 4
Gertrude 4
Helen 4
Ruth 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 203
William 175
Thomas 171
James 124
Charles 65
Joseph 65
George 64
Henry 44
Samuel 44
Richard 42
Edward 39
Robert 30
Alfred 26
Arthur 20
Walter 18
Frederick 16
Harry 15
Frank 13
Wm. 13
Albert 11
Edwin 10
Peter 10
Matthew 9
Francis 8
Ralph 7
Thos. 7
Fred 6
Herbert 6
Mark 6
Tom 6
Andrew 5
Daniel 4
Ernest 4
Fredk. 4
Percy 4
Abraham 3
Benjamin 3
Chas. 3
Christopher 3
David 3
Geo. 3
Jesse 3
Jno. 3
Nicholas 3
Saml. 3
Stephen 3
Willm. 3
Alexander 2
Arnold 2
Wright 2

FAQ

Higginson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Higginson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,995 people were recorded with the Higginson surname. That placed it at #1,495 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Higginson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,878 in 2016. That gives Higginson a modern rank of #1,740.

What does the Higginson surname mean?

A surname derived from the given name "Higgins", a diminutive of Hugh.

What does the Higginson map show?

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