UK surname
Derived from a Middle English nickname for a tall person or a dweller on a hill or height.
In the 1881 census there were 162 people recorded with the Hight surname, ranking it #14,746 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 59, ranked #34,401, down from #14,746 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Broughton, Newbald and Paddington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hight is 301 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 63.6%.
1881 census count
162
Ranked #14,746
Modern count
59
2016, ranked #34,401
Peak year
1861
301 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Hight surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Hight surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 175 | #11,542 |
| 1861 | historical | 301 | #8,412 |
| 1881 | historical | 162 | #14,746 |
| 1891 | historical | 234 | #13,352 |
| 1901 | historical | 161 | #17,324 |
| 1911 | historical | 174 | #16,311 |
| 1997 | modern | 52 | #32,444 |
| 1998 | modern | 55 | #32,399 |
| 1999 | modern | 57 | #32,367 |
| 2000 | modern | 56 | #32,514 |
| 2001 | modern | 55 | #32,482 |
| 2002 | modern | 55 | #32,831 |
| 2003 | modern | 48 | #33,533 |
| 2004 | modern | 57 | #32,968 |
| 2005 | modern | 54 | #33,433 |
| 2006 | modern | 54 | #33,780 |
| 2007 | modern | 49 | #34,422 |
| 2008 | modern | 53 | #34,315 |
| 2009 | modern | 57 | #34,225 |
| 2010 | modern | 60 | #34,205 |
| 2011 | modern | 62 | #34,045 |
| 2012 | modern | 57 | #34,452 |
| 2013 | modern | 58 | #34,488 |
| 2014 | modern | 64 | #34,141 |
| 2015 | modern | 58 | #34,470 |
| 2016 | modern | 59 | #34,401 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Broughton, Newbald, Paddington, London parishes and Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Broughton | Northamptonshire |
| 2 | Newbald | Yorkshire, East Riding |
| 3 | Paddington | London (West Districts) |
| 4 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 5 | Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory | Northamptonshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Hight surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hight, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Hight surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Hight household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Hight is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hight is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Hight, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname HIGHT is of English origin, derived from an Old English word "hihð" or "hihþ," which means "height" or "elevated place." This surname is believed to have originated in the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century, and was initially used as a topographic name for someone who lived near a hill or an elevated area.
The surname HIGHT can be found in various historical records and documents from England, including the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "de la Hihð" or "de la Hihþ." This suggests that the name was already in use by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname HIGHT dates back to the 13th century, when a man named John atte Hihþ was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1275. This spelling variation, "atte Hihþ," implies that John lived near a place called "Hihþ" or "Height."
In the 14th century, the surname HIGHT was also recorded in various locations across England, such as Lincolnshire, Oxfordshire, and Yorkshire. For example, a man named Robert Hight was listed in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379.
Notable individuals with the surname HIGHT throughout history include:
1. John Hight (c. 1550-1612), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Rector of St. Peter's Church in Oxford. 2. Samuel Hight (1762-1832), an American soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War and later became a prominent landowner in Kentucky. 3. Sir Nathaniel Hight (1806-1879), a British politician and Member of Parliament for East Gloucestershire from 1857 to 1865. 4. Elizabeth Hight (1822-1891), an English novelist and poet, best known for her novel "The Heir of Redclyffe," published in 1853. 5. George Hight (1835-1919), an American businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the Hight & Fairfield Coal Company in Ohio.
The surname HIGHT has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Hight Town in Oxfordshire and Hight Rigg in Northumberland, further emphasizing its topographic origins.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hight surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Northamptonshire leads with 32 Hights recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.53x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Northamptonshire | 32 | 21.53x |
| Middlesex | 31 | 1.96x |
| Kent | 14 | 2.60x |
| Surrey | 13 | 1.69x |
| Huntingdonshire | 12 | 38.24x |
| Bedfordshire | 11 | 13.44x |
| Lancashire | 9 | 0.48x |
| Yorkshire | 8 | 0.51x |
| Cambridgeshire | 7 | 6.99x |
| Berkshire | 6 | 5.06x |
| Buckinghamshire | 5 | 5.23x |
| Derbyshire | 3 | 1.21x |
| Hampshire | 2 | 0.62x |
| Somerset | 2 | 0.79x |
| Angus | 1 | 0.68x |
| Devon | 1 | 0.30x |
| Dorset | 1 | 0.96x |
| Glamorgan | 1 | 0.36x |
| Gloucestershire | 1 | 0.32x |
| Midlothian | 1 | 0.47x |
| Sussex | 1 | 0.38x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Broughton in Northamptonshire leads with 14 Hights recorded in 1881 and an index of 2978.72x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Hight surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Ann | 6 |
| Sarah | 6 |
| Elizabeth | 5 |
| Emma | 5 |
| Mary | 5 |
| Susan | 4 |
| Ada | 3 |
| Anna | 3 |
| Louisa | 3 |
| Charlotte | 2 |
| Clara | 2 |
| Hannah | 2 |
| Harriet | 2 |
| Jane | 2 |
| Adelaide | 1 |
| Alice | 1 |
| Almer | 1 |
| Anne | 1 |
| Catherine | 1 |
| Eliza | 1 |
| Elizh. | 1 |
| Emily | 1 |
| Esther | 1 |
| Fanny | 1 |
| Hellen | 1 |
| Janet | 1 |
| Jessie | 1 |
| Julia | 1 |
| Kathleen | 1 |
| L. | 1 |
| Laura | 1 |
| Letitia | 1 |
| Lillie | 1 |
| Lucy | 1 |
| Marion | 1 |
| Mather | 1 |
| Mosetta | 1 |
| Rachel | 1 |
| Rebecca | 1 |
| Rosianna | 1 |
| Ruth | 1 |
| Sophia | 1 |
| Violet | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Hight surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
FAQ
In 1881, 162 people were recorded with the Hight surname. That placed it at #14,746 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 59 in 2016. That gives Hight a modern rank of #34,401.
Derived from a Middle English nickname for a tall person or a dweller on a hill or height.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Hight bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.