NameCensus.

UK surname

Hillard

A locational surname referring to someone who lived on or near a hill.

In the 1881 census there were 448 people recorded with the Hillard surname, ranking it #7,339 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 445, ranked #10,890, down from #7,339 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Willesden, Petherton, South and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Somerset, Torfaen and Cheshire East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hillard is 528 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.7%.

1881 census count

448

Ranked #7,339

Modern count

445

2016, ranked #10,890

Peak year

1999

528 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hillard had 448 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,339 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 445 in 2016, ranked #10,890.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 517 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hillard surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hillard surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hillard 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 291 #7,827
1861 historical 507 #5,159
1881 historical 448 #7,339
1891 historical 441 #8,197
1901 historical 440 #8,843
1911 historical 517 #7,634
1997 modern 496 #9,352
1998 modern 521 #9,296
1999 modern 528 #9,260
2000 modern 500 #9,632
2001 modern 488 #9,645
2002 modern 478 #9,963
2003 modern 473 #9,879
2004 modern 469 #9,983
2005 modern 462 #10,000
2006 modern 442 #10,388
2007 modern 442 #10,495
2008 modern 440 #10,622
2009 modern 461 #10,462
2010 modern 477 #10,410
2011 modern 480 #10,267
2012 modern 444 #10,775
2013 modern 465 #10,569
2014 modern 455 #10,804
2015 modern 446 #10,898
2016 modern 445 #10,890

Geography

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Where Hillards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Willesden, Petherton, South, London parishes, Ditcheat, West Bradley and Doddington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Somerset, Torfaen, Cheshire East and Cardiff. 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 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 Petherton, South Somerset
3 London parishes London 3
4 Ditcheat, West Bradley Somerset
5 Doddington Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Somerset 010 South Somerset
2 Torfaen 004 Torfaen
3 Cheshire East 041 Cheshire East
4 Torfaen 003 Torfaen
5 Cardiff 019 Cardiff

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hillard

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hillard

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Hillard is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hillard 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

Hillard falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hillard

The surname Hillard is of English origin, deriving from a combination of the Old English words "hyll" meaning hill and "ard" meaning high ground or ridge. It first emerged in the region of Yorkshire during the Middle Ages, where it was likely used as a descriptive name for someone who lived on or near a hillside.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Hillard surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Hilliard" in reference to a landowner in the county of Lincolnshire. The name also appears in various medieval records and tax rolls from the 13th to 15th centuries, often with slight variations in spelling such as "Hyllard" or "Hyllarde".

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Hillard surname began to spread across England, with notable bearers including John Hillard (1516-1584), a prominent English clergyman and reformer who served as the Dean of Worcester Cathedral. Another notable figure was Richard Hillard (1605-1675), a wealthy merchant and landowner from the county of Hertfordshire.

In the 18th century, the Hillard family had established branches in various parts of England, including the counties of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Somerset. One notable individual from this period was William Hillard (1735-1812), a successful barrister and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Carmarthen Circuit in Wales.

As the British Empire expanded, the Hillard surname also found its way to various colonies and territories. One example is George Hillard (1808-1885), an American author, lawyer, and educator who was born in Machias, Maine, and later served as the President of the Boston University.

Another notable figure was Sir Norman Hillard (1876-1954), a British civil servant and diplomat who served as the Governor of the Windward Islands from 1929 to 1933, and later as the Governor of Gambia from 1933 to 1936.

Overall, the surname Hillard has a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages in England, where it likely originated as a descriptive name for someone living on or near a hill. Over the centuries, it has been borne by many notable individuals across various professions and regions, reflecting the diverse paths taken by families bearing this surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hillard families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hillard 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. Somerset leads with 165 Hillards recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.46x.

County Total Index
Somerset 165 23.46x
Middlesex 57 1.30x
Surrey 41 1.93x
Lancashire 20 0.39x
Cambridgeshire 19 6.86x
Dorset 16 5.58x
Gloucestershire 16 1.87x
Lincolnshire 14 2.00x
Northamptonshire 13 3.16x
Monmouthshire 10 3.17x
Yorkshire 9 0.21x
Kent 8 0.54x
Sussex 8 1.09x
Essex 7 0.81x
Glamorgan 7 0.92x
Nottinghamshire 6 1.02x
Renfrewshire 6 1.77x
Hampshire 5 0.56x
Leicestershire 5 1.03x
Berkshire 4 1.22x
Cheshire 2 0.21x
Cornwall 2 0.40x
Devon 2 0.22x
Warwickshire 2 0.18x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.38x
Durham 1 0.08x
Hertfordshire 1 0.33x
Perthshire 1 0.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ditcheat in Somerset leads with 27 Hillards recorded in 1881 and an index of 2231.41x.

Place Total Index
Ditcheat 27 2231.41x
South Petherton 24 661.16x
March 18 194.17x
Islington London 13 3.07x
Yeovil 13 90.97x
Battersea 12 7.46x
Bethnal Green London 12 6.32x
Castle Cary 11 358.31x
Glastonbury 10 174.22x
Sherborne 10 118.34x
Southwark St George Martyr 10 11.37x
Lambeth 9 2.36x
Northampton St Giles 9 57.47x
Bedwellty 8 14.34x
East Harptree 8 808.08x
Walcot 8 21.36x
Crowland 7 159.82x
Parr 7 37.74x
Tallington 7 1891.89x
Yarlington 7 2258.06x
Ewhurst 6 365.85x
Nottingham St Mary 6 3.94x
Paisley High Church 6 22.26x
Toxteth Park 6 3.42x
West Bradley Lottisham 6 2727.27x
Westminster St John 6 11.27x
Cameley 5 632.91x
Clerkenwell London 5 4.85x
Clifton 5 11.54x
Evercreech 5 295.86x
Newington 5 3.10x
Seavington St Michael 5 1470.59x
Shoreditch London 5 2.64x
Stoke Trister 5 793.65x
Bristol St Thomas 4 408.16x
Cardiff St Mary 4 9.54x
Cheltenham 4 6.05x
Kingston On Thames 4 7.82x
Midsomer Norton 4 60.33x
Shepton Beauchamp 4 416.67x
St Pancras London 4 1.14x
Standground 4 203.05x
Wrington 4 169.49x
Bath St James 3 40.87x
Belgrave 3 27.42x
Brightside Bierlow 3 3.53x
Castleton 3 5.79x
Chiswick 3 12.56x
Lockwood 3 19.26x
Lyncombe Widcombe 3 16.29x
Manningtree 3 214.29x
Newbury 3 28.54x
Swansea Town 3 4.81x
Wanstead 3 19.85x
Woolwich 3 5.45x
Aston 2 0.66x
Bristol St George 2 5.05x
Bruton 2 72.20x
Compton Gifford 2 70.18x
Eastbourne 2 5.90x
Haydon 2 1250.00x
Hipperholme Cum 2 10.51x
Leicester St Mary 2 5.11x
Madron Penzance 2 11.12x
Melcombe Regis 2 16.82x
Poplar London 2 2.42x
Risca 2 33.56x
Windle 2 6.85x
Bristol St Paul In 1 4.38x
Charlcombe 1 107.53x
Cheddar 1 28.25x
Holdenhurst 1 4.26x
Holy Trinity Cambridge 1 33.33x
Kintbury 1 39.53x
Lamyatt 1 270.27x
Newington 1 8.38x
Southampton St Mary 1 1.78x
Springfield 1 26.46x
Stockport 1 2.01x
Streatham 1 3.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 39
Sarah 18
Jane 14
Elizabeth 13
Emma 11
Emily 9
Eliza 8
Susan 8
Annie 7
Ann 5
Caroline 5
Ellen 5
Martha 5
Alice 4
Charlotte 4
Ada 3
Ethel 3
Harriett 3
Lucy 3
Selina 3
Susannah 3
Amelia 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Julia 2
Louisa 2
M. 2
Maggie 2
Maria 2
Anne 1
Betsy 1
Bridget 1
C. 1
Catherine 1
Eliz.Jane 1
Eva 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Gert 1
Hope 1
Isabella 1
Janet 1
Judith 1
Kate 1
Leah 1
Lily 1
Lottie 1
Louise 1
Zippora 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 26
John 20
George 18
James 15
Charles 12
Thomas 12
Henry 9
Robert 9
Joseph 7
Frederick 6
Samuel 5
Abraham 4
Harry 4
Tom 4
Walter 4
Alfred 3
Edward 3
Richard 3
Albert 2
Arthur 2
Augustus 2
Benj. 2
Eli 2
Isaac 2
Leonard 2
Andrew 1
Bertie 1
Christopher 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fred.A. 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Gilbert 1
Henery 1
Hy. 1
Issac 1
Jacob 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Job 1
Joshua 1
Josiah 1
P. 1
Sidney 1
Theophilus 1
Thos. 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Hillard surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hillard surname in 1881?

In 1881, 448 people were recorded with the Hillard surname. That placed it at #7,339 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hillard surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 445 in 2016. That gives Hillard a modern rank of #10,890.

What does the Hillard surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived on or near a hill.

What does the Hillard map show?

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