NameCensus.

UK surname

Hilditch

An Old English surname originating from a placename or settlement.

In the 1881 census there were 865 people recorded with the Hilditch surname, ranking it #4,373 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,364, ranked #4,417, down from #4,373 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolstanton, Burslem and Sandbach. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Knowsley, Harthill and Salsburgh and Powys.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hilditch is 1,414 in 2003. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 57.7%.

1881 census count

865

Ranked #4,373

Modern count

1,364

2016, ranked #4,417

Peak year

2003

1,414 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hilditch had 865 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,373 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,364 in 2016, ranked #4,417.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,286 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hilditch surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hilditch surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hilditch 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 560 #4,524
1861 historical 526 #4,984
1881 historical 865 #4,373
1891 historical 912 #4,525
1901 historical 1,170 #4,174
1911 historical 1,286 #3,702
1997 modern 1,220 #4,649
1998 modern 1,411 #4,248
1999 modern 1,403 #4,295
2000 modern 1,404 #4,275
2001 modern 1,409 #4,199
2002 modern 1,399 #4,296
2003 modern 1,414 #4,189
2004 modern 1,381 #4,278
2005 modern 1,379 #4,246
2006 modern 1,375 #4,259
2007 modern 1,376 #4,287
2008 modern 1,368 #4,330
2009 modern 1,391 #4,356
2010 modern 1,412 #4,372
2011 modern 1,402 #4,355
2012 modern 1,382 #4,344
2013 modern 1,399 #4,373
2014 modern 1,403 #4,388
2015 modern 1,395 #4,363
2016 modern 1,364 #4,417

Geography

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Where Hilditchs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolstanton, Burslem, Sandbach, Manchester and Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Knowsley, Harthill and Salsburgh, Powys, Shropshire and Cheshire East. 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 Burslem Staffordshire
3 Sandbach Cheshire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Knowsley 001 Knowsley
2 Harthill and Salsburgh North Lanarkshire
3 Powys 005 Powys
4 Shropshire 014 Shropshire
5 Cheshire East 033 Cheshire East

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hilditch

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hilditch

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hilditch, 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 Hilditch surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hilditch 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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Hilditch is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Hilditch is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Hilditch

The surname Hilditch is of English origin and dates back to the early medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words 'hild' meaning 'battle' and 'dic' meaning 'ditch', likely referring to a ditch or earthwork associated with a battle or military fortification.

The name is believed to have originated in the county of Cheshire, where the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Robert de Hildich, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199.

During the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, including Hildich, Hilditch, Hillditch, and Hildich. These variations suggest that the name may have been derived from a place name, possibly a lost or unidentified location.

In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, there is a record of a William de Hildich residing in Cheshire. This document provides evidence of the surname's continued presence in the region during the medieval period.

The Hilditch surname was also found in other parts of England, such as Staffordshire, where records from the 14th century mention individuals with this last name. For instance, John Hildych was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire in 1327.

One of the earliest known instances of the name in a place name context is the village of Hilditch, located near Congleton in Cheshire. This village may have been the source of the surname or derived its name from an individual bearing the surname Hilditch.

Notable individuals with the surname Hilditch throughout history include:

1. Sir Walter Hilditch (1583-1666), an English politician and landowner who served as Sheriff of Cheshire in 1632. 2. Samuel Hilditch (1696-1768), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works. 3. Robert Hilditch (1811-1892), a British engineer and inventor known for his contributions to the development of the screw propeller. 4. Sir Edward Hilditch (1856-1935), a British businessman and philanthropist who served as Lord Mayor of Manchester in 1914. 5. Sir Norman Hilditch (1898-1982), a renowned British chemist and academic who made significant contributions to the study of fats and lipids.

While the Hilditch surname has its roots in medieval England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, carried by individuals and families who have migrated over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hilditch families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hilditch 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. Staffordshire leads with 242 Hilditchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.50x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 242 8.50x
Cheshire 227 12.19x
Lancashire 163 1.63x
Middlesex 64 0.76x
Shropshire 32 4.39x
Surrey 18 0.44x
Yorkshire 18 0.22x
Montgomeryshire 17 8.79x
Flintshire 14 6.17x
Nottinghamshire 10 0.88x
Denbighshire 8 2.51x
Hampshire 8 0.46x
Durham 7 0.28x
Essex 7 0.42x
Ayrshire 6 0.95x
Lanarkshire 5 0.18x
Lincolnshire 5 0.37x
Warwickshire 5 0.24x
Glamorgan 3 0.20x
Derbyshire 2 0.15x
Devon 1 0.06x
Kent 1 0.03x
Northamptonshire 1 0.13x
Worcestershire 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. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 66 Hilditchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.85x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 66 21.85x
Audley 42 149.04x
Oldham 32 9.90x
Wolstanton 28 32.37x
Sandbach 25 157.33x
Burslem 23 28.19x
Everton 21 6.58x
Haslington 21 400.76x
Hartford 19 451.31x
Nantwich 17 78.56x
Macclesfield 16 19.33x
Over 16 84.52x
Mile End Old Town London 15 8.35x
Wolverhampton 13 5.94x
St Pancras London 12 1.77x
Wolstanton Knutton 11 63.25x
Crewe In Nantwich 10 819.67x
Islington London 10 1.22x
Nottingham St Mary 10 3.40x
Toxteth Park 10 2.95x
Whitgreave 10 2325.58x
Willaston In Nantwich 10 173.91x
Ardwick 9 9.97x
Biddulph 9 56.01x
Blackburn 9 3.38x
Congleton 9 27.97x
Stretford 9 16.34x
Battersea 8 2.58x
Bollin Fee 8 96.85x
Madeley 8 112.68x
Oswestry Rural 8 71.62x
Romsey Extra 8 77.75x
Salford 8 2.72x
Bury 7 6.12x
Clerkenwell London 7 3.51x
Flint 7 54.35x
Framwellgate 7 47.07x
Holy Trinity 7 3.48x
Hulme 7 3.35x
Manchester 7 1.55x
Shrewsbury Holy Cross 7 86.96x
Stone 7 19.21x
Tranmere 7 10.23x
West Ham 7 1.90x
Wheelock 7 304.35x
Burnley 6 7.12x
Caerwys 6 257.51x
Trewern 6 582.52x
Wolstanton Oldcott 6 58.14x
Ashton Under Lyne 5 2.28x
Camberwell 5 0.93x
Dundonald 5 21.47x
Frodsham Lordship 5 158.73x
Govan 5 0.74x
Kirkdale 5 2.97x
Leftwich 5 60.46x
Liverpool 5 0.82x
Middle Town 5 1724.14x
Runcorn 5 11.64x
Tref Eglwys 5 94.88x
Aston 4 0.68x
Audley Talk O Th Hill 4 77.97x
Castle Northwich 4 64.94x
Davenham 4 236.69x
Llangollen Llangollen 4 110.19x
Macclesfield Forest 4 666.67x
Monks Coppenhall 4 5.69x
Preston 4 1.49x
Shadwell London 4 16.94x
Shrewsbury St Chad 4 15.64x
St George In East London 4 5.04x
St Mark Lincoln 4 138.89x
Thornhill 4 16.39x
West Derby 4 1.37x
Winnington 4 194.17x
Bridgemere 3 769.23x
Llanynys 3 148.51x
Newcastle Under Lyme 3 5.95x
Radcliffe 3 6.22x
Skircoat 3 9.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 54
Sarah 44
Jane 29
Elizabeth 25
Martha 19
Ann 15
Annie 14
Eliza 14
Hannah 14
Ellen 12
Margaret 12
Emily 9
Alice 8
Emma 7
Harriet 7
Catherine 6
Ada 5
Anne 5
Charlotte 5
Fanny 5
Frances 5
Maria 5
Agnes 4
Caroline 3
Edith 3
Florence 3
Gertrude 3
Harriett 3
Kate 3
Maud 3
Minnie 3
Phoebe 3
Rose 3
Amelia 2
Anna 2
Blanche 2
Clara 2
Jessie 2
Julia 2
Lilian 2
Lucy 2
M. 2
Matilda 2
May 2
Ruth 2
Sophia 2
Amy 1
Bertha 1
Betsey 1
Ellseph 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 74
Thomas 46
William 43
George 25
James 25
Charles 17
Henry 16
Joseph 16
Samuel 16
Robert 12
Richard 11
Edward 9
Arthur 8
Frederick 8
Ralph 7
Alfred 6
Edwin 6
Frank 6
Harry 6
Fred 5
Albert 4
Herbert 4
Peter 4
David 3
Fredrick 3
Lewis 3
Walter 3
Geo. 2
Job 2
Luke 2
Percy 2
Thos. 2
Ambrose 1
Daniel 1
Edgar 1
Esau 1
Evan 1
Ferneana 1
Francis 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
G. 1
Jacob 1
Jeremiah 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 1
Leonard 1
Michael 1
Newton 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Hilditch surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hilditch surname in 1881?

In 1881, 865 people were recorded with the Hilditch surname. That placed it at #4,373 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hilditch surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,364 in 2016. That gives Hilditch a modern rank of #4,417.

What does the Hilditch surname mean?

An Old English surname originating from a placename or settlement.

What does the Hilditch map show?

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