NameCensus.

UK surname

Higman

An Old English surname derived from "heh" (high) and "mann" (man), originally denoting a tall person.

In the 1881 census there were 388 people recorded with the Higman surname, ranking it #8,141 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 356, ranked #12,978, down from #8,141 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Roach, St Austell and Luxulion. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall and Reigate and Banstead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Higman is 472 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 8.2%.

1881 census count

388

Ranked #8,141

Modern count

356

2016, ranked #12,978

Peak year

1901

472 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Higman had 388 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,141 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 356 in 2016, ranked #12,978.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 472 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Higman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Higman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Higman 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 283 #7,996
1861 historical 262 #9,458
1881 historical 388 #8,141
1891 historical 423 #8,465
1901 historical 472 #8,407
1911 historical 466 #8,281
1997 modern 393 #11,144
1998 modern 392 #11,512
1999 modern 396 #11,527
2000 modern 395 #11,503
2001 modern 374 #11,805
2002 modern 384 #11,794
2003 modern 383 #11,614
2004 modern 384 #11,625
2005 modern 360 #12,112
2006 modern 367 #12,016
2007 modern 373 #12,005
2008 modern 367 #12,264
2009 modern 375 #12,317
2010 modern 369 #12,726
2011 modern 352 #13,032
2012 modern 359 #12,698
2013 modern 359 #12,917
2014 modern 364 #12,876
2015 modern 361 #12,857
2016 modern 356 #12,978

Geography

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Where Higmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Roach, St Austell, Luxulion, Tavistock. Whitechurch, St Peter Tavy and Plymouth St Charles the Martyr. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall and Reigate and Banstead. 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 Roach Cornwall
2 St Austell Cornwall
3 Luxulion Cornwall
4 Tavistock. Whitechurch, St Peter Tavy Devon
5 Plymouth St Charles the Martyr Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 027 Cornwall
2 Reigate and Banstead 007 Reigate and Banstead
3 Cornwall 024 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 039 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 019 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Higman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Higman

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Higman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Higman household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Higman is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Higman 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

Higman falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Higman

The surname Higman is of English origin, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, derived from one of several places named "Higham" or "Highham" in various counties across England, such as Norfolk, Derbyshire, and Suffolk.

These place names are thought to have been derived from the Old English words "hēah" and "hām," which together mean "high homestead" or "high village." The name likely referred to a settlement situated on higher ground or a prominent hilltop.

One of the earliest known records of the surname Higman can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions individuals with similar spellings, such as "Higham" and "Higgeham," residing in various locations throughout England.

In the 13th century, historical records from Lincolnshire mention a certain William de Higham, who was a landowner and influential figure in the region. Around the same time, the surname Higman appeared in various tax rolls and parish records across counties like Norfolk and Suffolk.

The name also has a connection to the town of Higham Ferrers in Northamptonshire, which was once a thriving center for shoemaking and leather trades. Several notable individuals with the surname Higman hailed from this area, including John Higman (1615-1690), a prominent Puritan clergyman and scholar.

Another notable figure was Sir Nathaniel Higman (1672-1737), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Marlborough in the early 18th century.

In the 19th century, the Higman surname gained further prominence with individuals like Charles Higman (1821-1899), a successful merchant and businessman in London, and Thomas Higman (1834-1911), a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in the city.

Throughout its history, the surname Higman has also been associated with various place names and locations, such as Higham Green in Suffolk, Higham on the Hill in Leicestershire, and Higham Gobion in Bedfordshire, further reinforcing its locational origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Higman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Higman 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. Cornwall leads with 209 Higmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 48.78x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 209 48.78x
Devon 115 14.60x
Middlesex 12 0.32x
Glamorgan 8 1.21x
Carmarthenshire 7 4.39x
Somerset 7 1.15x
Gloucestershire 6 0.81x
Hampshire 6 0.77x
Lancashire 5 0.11x
Kent 3 0.23x
Surrey 3 0.16x
Cumberland 2 0.61x
Durham 2 0.18x
Essex 2 0.27x
Northumberland 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Damerel in Devon leads with 32 Higmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 58.03x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Damerel 32 58.03x
Plymouth St Andrew 29 47.78x
St Austell 26 177.47x
Plymouth Charles The 23 66.26x
Roche 23 1055.05x
Luxulyan 17 1188.81x
St Ive 14 509.09x
Tavistock 14 156.08x
Quethiock 13 2063.49x
Bodmin 11 155.15x
Landulph 10 1538.46x
Menheniot 10 561.80x
Pillaton 9 2045.45x
St Neot 9 532.54x
St Columb Major 8 224.72x
St Merryn 8 1126.76x
Llanelly 7 19.48x
Bridgewater 6 36.28x
Highweek 6 213.52x
St Ervan 6 1176.47x
Swansea Town 6 11.10x
Horfield 5 66.93x
Lidford 5 141.24x
Egloshayle 4 199.01x
Maker 4 101.01x
St Mellion 4 1000.00x
St Thomas Apostle 4 303.03x
Calstock 3 35.71x
Hackney London 3 1.41x
Liskeard 3 41.84x
Manchester 3 1.49x
Mile End Old Town London 3 3.72x
Portsea 3 1.97x
Shoreditch London 3 1.83x
St Blazey 3 79.79x
St Breock 3 129.31x
Aldershot 2 7.70x
Antony 2 48.31x
Barrow In Furness 2 3.27x
Clavering 2 148.15x
Kensington London 2 0.95x
Landrake 2 210.53x
Lanteglos By Fowey 2 114.94x
Millom 2 20.02x
Oystermouth 2 39.22x
St Germans 2 66.89x
Stockton On Tees 2 3.69x
Talland 2 198.02x
Whitchurch 2 144.93x
Christchurch 1 5.95x
Clapham 1 2.11x
Dartmouth Townstall 1 31.15x
East Stonehouse 1 6.44x
Elswick 1 2.23x
Gillingham 1 3.76x
Lambeth 1 0.30x
Lyncombe Widcombe 1 6.27x
Margate St John Baptist 1 4.23x
Painswick 1 19.05x
Pennycross 1 151.52x
Saltash 1 30.12x
Sevenoaks 1 9.55x
South Petherwin 1 93.46x
St Columb Minor 1 27.78x
St Dominick 1 92.59x
St Eval 1 294.12x
St Issey 1 113.64x
St Pancras London 1 0.33x
Stonehouse East 1 25.00x
Wandsworth 1 2.75x
Warleggan 1 333.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 28
John 26
James 14
Joseph 12
Robert 11
George 10
Thomas 9
Henry 8
Richard 8
Alfred 5
Nicholas 5
Charles 4
Edward 4
Samuel 4
Francis 3
Frederick 3
Daniel 2
Ernest 2
Walter 2
Willie 2
Abraham 1
Albert 1
Charley 1
Charlie 1
Geo. 1
Guy 1
Harry 1
Hart 1
Hy. 1
Michael 1
Oratio 1
Oswald 1
Peter 1
Petherick 1
Philip 1
Richd. 1
Samson 1
Sydney 1
Tobias 1
Warwick 1
Wilfred 1
Wm 1
Wm.J. 1
Woodman 1

FAQ

Higman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Higman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 388 people were recorded with the Higman surname. That placed it at #8,141 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Higman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 356 in 2016. That gives Higman a modern rank of #12,978.

What does the Higman surname mean?

An Old English surname derived from "heh" (high) and "mann" (man), originally denoting a tall person.

What does the Higman map show?

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