NameCensus.

UK surname

Hilder

A topographic surname referring to a person who lived on or near a hill.

In the 1881 census there were 695 people recorded with the Hilder surname, ranking it #5,215 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 629, ranked #8,388, down from #5,215 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, London parishes and Tunbridge, Bidborough. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Mull, Iona, Coll and Tiree and Brighton and Hove.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hilder is 946 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 9.5%.

1881 census count

695

Ranked #5,215

Modern count

629

2016, ranked #8,388

Peak year

1911

946 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hilder had 695 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,215 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 629 in 2016, ranked #8,388.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 946 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Hilder surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hilder surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hilder 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 464 #5,343
1861 historical 452 #5,730
1881 historical 695 #5,215
1891 historical 750 #5,311
1901 historical 843 #5,400
1911 historical 946 #4,756
1997 modern 680 #7,410
1998 modern 697 #7,498
1999 modern 700 #7,513
2000 modern 686 #7,606
2001 modern 661 #7,692
2002 modern 679 #7,698
2003 modern 672 #7,634
2004 modern 641 #7,918
2005 modern 626 #8,008
2006 modern 611 #8,170
2007 modern 625 #8,093
2008 modern 625 #8,146
2009 modern 648 #8,093
2010 modern 658 #8,165
2011 modern 642 #8,238
2012 modern 625 #8,327
2013 modern 647 #8,246
2014 modern 643 #8,337
2015 modern 640 #8,290
2016 modern 629 #8,388

Geography

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Where Hilders are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, London parishes, Tunbridge, Bidborough and St Pancras. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Mull, Iona, Coll and Tiree, Brighton and Hove and Hastings. 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 Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew Sussex
2 London parishes London 1
3 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Pancras London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 048 County Durham
2 Mull, Iona, Coll and Tiree Argyll and Bute
3 Brighton and Hove 026 Brighton and Hove
4 Hastings 006 Hastings
5 Hastings 008 Hastings

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hilder

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hilder

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Hilder 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

Hilder is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hilder falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hilder

The surname Hilder has its origins in the Middle English language and is derived from the occupational surname "hild," which means "to cover or thatch." It is believed to have originated in the areas of Northumberland and Cumberland in northern England during the late 12th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hilder can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1170, where a person named Hugo le Hilder is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use as a descriptor for someone who was a thatcher or roofer by trade.

In the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, a person named John Hilder is listed, indicating the name's spread to other parts of England. The surname also appears in various other historical records, such as the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1332, where a William Hilder is recorded.

The name Hilder is closely associated with the village of Hilderstone in Staffordshire, which was formerly known as "Hildreshull" in the Domesday Book of 1086. This suggests that the name may have originated from this location or a similar place name.

Notable individuals with the surname Hilder throughout history include:

1. Sir Thomas Hilder (1570-1641), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Salisbury. 2. John Hilder (1612-1685), an English Puritan clergyman and author of several religious works. 3. William Hilder (1735-1812), a British soldier who served in the American Revolutionary War and later became a successful merchant. 4. Elizabeth Hilder (1798-1876), a British educator and philanthropist who founded several schools for underprivileged children. 5. Alfred Hilder (1856-1923), a British artist known for his landscape paintings of rural scenes in England and Wales.

It is worth noting that variations in the spelling of the surname, such as Hildar, Hillder, and Hildare, can also be found in historical records, reflecting the evolution of language and regional influences.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hilder families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hilder 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. Kent leads with 221 Hilders recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.50x.

County Total Index
Kent 221 9.50x
Sussex 206 17.92x
Middlesex 99 1.45x
Surrey 63 1.90x
Hampshire 28 2.00x
Yorkshire 13 0.19x
Durham 12 0.59x
Suffolk 12 1.44x
Essex 9 0.67x
Leicestershire 8 1.06x
Gloucestershire 4 0.30x
Lanarkshire 4 0.18x
Lancashire 3 0.04x
Berkshire 2 0.39x
Glamorgan 2 0.17x
Hertfordshire 2 0.43x
Norfolk 2 0.19x
Royal Navy 2 2.46x
Rutland 2 4.00x
Warwickshire 2 0.12x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.24x
Devon 1 0.07x
Lincolnshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 19 Hilders recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.46x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 19 3.46x
Lambeth 15 2.52x
Salehurst 15 301.20x
Snodland 15 227.27x
Hastings St Clement 14 129.39x
Portsea 14 5.11x
Ash Next Ridley 13 878.38x
St Marylebone London 13 3.57x
Woking 13 64.94x
Bexley 12 58.34x
Hastings St Leonards 12 71.01x
Wrotham 12 155.64x
Ewhurst 11 431.37x
Maidstone 11 15.87x
Milton In Gravesend 11 31.53x
Tonbridge 11 13.11x
Plumstead 10 12.89x
Bromley 9 25.38x
Burwash 9 168.86x
Crowhurst 9 918.37x
Hastings St Mary In The 9 36.69x
Lewisham 9 7.26x
Boughton Under Blean 8 205.13x
Brighton 8 3.45x
Hammersmith London 8 4.76x
Lamberhurst 8 275.86x
Leicester St Mary 8 13.10x
Pevensey 8 941.18x
Aldershot 7 14.95x
Ashburnham 7 386.74x
Chislet 7 266.16x
Greenwich 7 6.45x
Hendon 7 28.54x
Ifield 7 146.14x
Islington London 7 1.06x
Newton Cap 7 222.22x
Prittlewell 7 37.53x
Streatham 7 13.84x
Battle 6 77.32x
Canterbury Holy Cross 6 267.86x
Eastbourne 6 11.34x
Holdenhurst 6 16.37x
Kingston On Thames 6 7.52x
Mile End Old Town London 6 4.13x
Rottingdean 6 152.67x
Sevenoaks 6 31.81x
Southwark St Saviour 6 17.12x
St Pauls Cray 6 337.08x
Tenterden 6 73.17x
Chatham 5 7.81x
Chislehurst 5 40.06x
Denton 5 438.60x
Folkestone 5 11.08x
Hastings St Andrew 5 121.36x
Hollington 5 122.25x
Northiam 5 177.31x
Ovenden 5 16.63x
Wadhurst 5 66.23x
Westminster St John 5 6.02x
Arlington 4 291.97x
Cheltenham 4 3.88x
Goudhurst 4 62.11x
Great Livermere 4 625.00x
Guisbrough 4 27.10x
Halstead 4 357.14x
Hanwell 4 33.09x
Horsted Keynes 4 149.25x
New Monkland 4 6.14x
Preston 4 19.93x
Ridley 4 2666.67x
Seaford 4 102.30x
Southwark St John 4 19.18x
St George In East London 4 6.24x
St Mary Cray 4 89.89x
Sunderland Bridge 4 124.22x
Battersea 3 1.20x
Cockfield 3 137.61x
Gravesend 3 15.23x
Sedlescombe 3 198.68x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 2.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 42
John 30
James 18
Charles 17
George 17
Henry 17
Thomas 17
Alfred 15
Edward 11
Albert 8
Harry 6
Walter 6
Edwin 5
Frank 5
Robert 5
Arthur 4
Joseph 4
Richard 4
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Frederick 3
Samuel 3
Tom 3
Baptist 2
Edmund 2
Fred 2
Fredk. 2
Harold 2
Horace 2
Percy 2
Thos. 2
Benjamin 1
Chas. 1
Chas.B. 1
Chas.Heny. 1
Chas.Hy. 1
Eden 1
Edgar 1
Edw. 1
Edwan 1
Edwd.A. 1
Emily 1
F. 1
Georg 1
Gideon 1
Godfrey 1
Gorham 1
Herbert 1
Hubert 1
Jacob 1

FAQ

Hilder surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hilder surname in 1881?

In 1881, 695 people were recorded with the Hilder surname. That placed it at #5,215 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hilder surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 629 in 2016. That gives Hilder a modern rank of #8,388.

What does the Hilder surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to a person who lived on or near a hill.

What does the Hilder map show?

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