UK surname
An Old Norse surname derived from the Norse word "hildr", meaning battle or war.
In the 1881 census there were 5 people recorded with the Hild surname, ranking it #33,110 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 11, ranked #37,501, down from #33,110 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Stockport, Radcliffe and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hild is 187 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 120.0%.
1881 census count
5
Ranked #33,110
Modern count
11
2016, ranked #37,501
Peak year
1861
187 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Hild surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Hild surname density by area, 1861 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 | 10 | #31,497 |
| 1861 | historical | 187 | #12,690 |
| 1881 | historical | 5 | #33,110 |
| 1891 | historical | 67 | #28,424 |
| 1901 | historical | 22 | #31,562 |
| 1911 | historical | 20 | #31,288 |
| 1997 | modern | 16 | #36,292 |
| 1998 | modern | 21 | #35,788 |
| 1999 | modern | 21 | #35,810 |
| 2000 | modern | 16 | #36,316 |
| 2001 | modern | 16 | #36,160 |
| 2002 | modern | 16 | #36,267 |
| 2003 | modern | 16 | #36,304 |
| 2004 | modern | 15 | #36,530 |
| 2005 | modern | 17 | #36,407 |
| 2006 | modern | 12 | #37,014 |
| 2007 | modern | 11 | #37,217 |
| 2008 | modern | 11 | #37,270 |
| 2009 | modern | 11 | #37,336 |
| 2010 | modern | 10 | #37,517 |
| 2011 | modern | 11 | #37,397 |
| 2012 | modern | 10 | #37,509 |
| 2013 | modern | 11 | #37,435 |
| 2014 | modern | 11 | #37,462 |
| 2015 | modern | 10 | #37,563 |
| 2016 | modern | 11 | #37,501 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Stockport, Radcliffe, London parishes, Newport Pagnell and St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford. 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 | Stockport | Cheshire |
| 2 | Radcliffe | Lancashire |
| 3 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 4 | Newport Pagnell | Buckinghamshire |
| 5 | St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford | London (South Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Hild 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 Hild, 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 Hild surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Hild 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, Hild 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 Hild is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Hild, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname HILD originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period. It derived from the Old English personal name Hild, which meant "battle" or "war." The name was initially given as a nickname to someone who was fierce or warlike in character or perhaps a successful warrior.
HILD is an ancient surname that can be traced back to the 7th century. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Saint Hilda of Whitby, who lived from around 614 to 680 AD. She was a renowned abbess and founded the monastery at Whitby in 657 AD, which became a significant center of learning and culture.
The name HILD appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086, a manuscript record of landholders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This early record suggests that the name was well-established in various parts of the country by the late 11th century.
During the Middle Ages, the surname HILD was often associated with places where bearers of the name lived or held land. For example, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 recorded a Richard de Hilde in Oxfordshire, indicating a potential place of origin or residence.
Notable individuals with the surname HILD throughout history include William Hild (c. 1350 - 1420), a prominent English churchman who served as Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield from 1399 to 1420. Another bearer was Sir John Hild (1555 - 1638), an English politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1602.
In the 18th century, George Hild (1730 - 1808) was a renowned English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in Newcastle upon Tyne and the surrounding areas. Later, in the 19th century, Joseph Hild (1828 - 1894) was a prominent English architect and surveyor based in Durham.
A more recent figure was Sir Geoffrey Hild (1901 - 1982), a British businessman and industrialist who served as Chairman of the Steel Company of Wales and was knighted in 1957 for his contributions to the steel industry.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hild 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. Kent leads with 3 Hilds recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.13x.
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Deptford St Paul in Kent leads with 3 Hilds recorded in 1881 and an index of 234.38x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Deptford St Paul | 3 | 234.38x |
| Camberwell | 2 | 64.52x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Hild surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
FAQ
In 1881, 5 people were recorded with the Hild surname. That placed it at #33,110 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 11 in 2016. That gives Hild a modern rank of #37,501.
An Old Norse surname derived from the Norse word "hildr", meaning battle or war.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Hild 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.