NameCensus.

UK surname

Hillary

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

In the 1881 census there were 492 people recorded with the Hillary surname, ranking it #6,854 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 918, ranked #6,215, up from #6,854 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Arkengarth Dale, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carlisle, Northumberland and Allerdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hillary is 944 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 86.6%.

1881 census count

492

Ranked #6,854

Modern count

918

2016, ranked #6,215

Peak year

2009

944 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hillary had 492 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,854 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 918 in 2016, ranked #6,215.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 765 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hillary surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hillary surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hillary 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 284 #7,977
1861 historical 397 #6,460
1881 historical 492 #6,854
1891 historical 605 #6,341
1901 historical 695 #6,324
1911 historical 765 #5,661
1997 modern 883 #6,051
1998 modern 905 #6,135
1999 modern 919 #6,100
2000 modern 938 #5,991
2001 modern 908 #6,045
2002 modern 925 #6,069
2003 modern 925 #5,955
2004 modern 934 #5,914
2005 modern 911 #5,970
2006 modern 897 #6,063
2007 modern 911 #6,032
2008 modern 927 #6,001
2009 modern 944 #6,027
2010 modern 942 #6,161
2011 modern 938 #6,131
2012 modern 933 #6,078
2013 modern 927 #6,208
2014 modern 941 #6,171
2015 modern 926 #6,195
2016 modern 918 #6,215

Geography

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Where Hillarys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Arkengarth Dale, London parishes, Gateshead, Marrick and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Carlisle, Northumberland, Allerdale, County Durham and East Riding of Yorkshire. 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 Arkengarth Dale Yorkshire, North Riding
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Marrick Yorkshire, North Riding
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Carlisle 002 Carlisle
2 Northumberland 038 Northumberland
3 Allerdale 003 Allerdale
4 County Durham 003 County Durham
5 East Riding of Yorkshire 032 East Riding of Yorkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hillary

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hillary

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

Hillary 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

Hillary falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hillary

The surname Hillary originates from England and is believed to have emerged in the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French personal name "Hilaire," which itself comes from the Latin name "Hilarius," meaning "cheerful" or "merry."

In its earliest recorded form, the surname was often spelled as "Hyllary" or "Hillari." It is thought to have been initially adopted by families residing in the counties of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, where the name was particularly prevalent during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest known references to the Hillary surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1230, which mention a "Walter Hillary." Additionally, the Hundred Rolls of 1273 record a "Robert Hyllary" residing in Oxfordshire.

In the 14th century, the surname appears in various historical records, including the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379, which list a "Johannes Hyllary." The famous Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not explicitly mention the Hillary surname, as it primarily focused on landowners and tenants at the time.

Several notable individuals throughout history have borne the Hillary surname. One of the earliest was Sir William Hillary (c. 1360-1399), a Member of Parliament for Hertfordshire during the reign of Richard II. Another prominent figure was Sir William Hillary (c. 1610-1691), an English soldier and politician who served as Governor of the Isle of Man.

In the 18th century, Sir William Hillary (1771-1847) was a notable British baronet and founder of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. He is credited with establishing the first organized lifeboat service in Britain, saving countless lives at sea.

Other individuals with the Hillary surname include the American author and novelist Edmund Hillary (1819-1887) and the New Zealand mountaineer and explorer Sir Edmund Hillary (1919-2008), who became famous for being the first person to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 1953.

The surname Hillary has also been linked to various place names in England, such as Hillary Green in Hertfordshire and Hillary Bank in Derbyshire, suggesting that the name may have originated from or been associated with specific localities in the country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hillary families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hillary 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. Yorkshire leads with 163 Hillarys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.42x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 163 3.42x
Durham 92 6.43x
Middlesex 45 0.94x
Hampshire 42 4.26x
Cumberland 32 7.73x
Lancashire 29 0.51x
Surrey 25 1.07x
Sussex 9 1.11x
Somerset 8 1.03x
Dorset 7 2.22x
Staffordshire 7 0.43x
Lincolnshire 6 0.78x
Northumberland 6 0.84x
Northamptonshire 4 0.88x
Denbighshire 3 1.65x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.46x
Pembrokeshire 3 1.96x
Wiltshire 2 0.47x
Glamorgan 1 0.12x
Hertfordshire 1 0.30x
Kent 1 0.06x
Leicestershire 1 0.19x
Midlothian 1 0.16x
Royal Navy 1 1.74x
Warwickshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Arkengarthdale in Yorkshire leads with 49 Hillarys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2951.81x.

Place Total Index
Arkengarthdale 49 2951.81x
Keighley 31 61.02x
Marrick 24 4705.88x
Aspatria 22 552.76x
Wolsingham 14 107.36x
Camberwell 13 4.23x
Skipton 13 86.67x
Darlington 10 18.10x
Evenwood Barony 10 205.76x
Clerkenwell London 9 7.93x
Lynesack Softley 8 206.72x
Newfield 8 421.05x
Bromley London 7 6.62x
Crook Billy Row 7 38.21x
Hulme 7 5.88x
Stockbridge 7 486.11x
Walsall Foreign 7 8.35x
Westoe 7 8.63x
Winlaton 7 50.98x
Bathwick 6 70.01x
Bingley 6 19.77x
Clee With Weelsby 6 35.65x
Hackney London 6 2.23x
Hook 6 57.25x
Lambeth 6 1.43x
Liverpool 6 1.73x
Walmersley Cum 6 65.79x
Whickham 6 45.59x
Catherington 5 229.36x
Flimby 5 142.86x
Westgate 5 11.28x
Bradford 4 3.47x
Buriton 4 210.53x
Crosscanonby 4 29.22x
Dorking 4 25.43x
Great Little Marsden 4 15.30x
Grinton 4 645.16x
Hambledon 4 120.12x
Harton 4 70.80x
Hunwick Helmington 4 116.28x
Islington London 4 0.86x
Longparish 4 360.36x
Over Wallop 4 449.44x
Towcester 4 85.65x
Goole 3 37.55x
Hastings St Leonards 3 25.17x
Horsforth 3 28.71x
Kensington London 3 1.12x
Llangollen 3 166.67x
Manerdivy 3 240.00x
Melsonby 3 340.91x
Millbrook 3 12.08x
Willington 3 36.28x
Boldron 2 800.00x
Brighton 2 1.22x
Leeds 2 0.74x
Mile End Old Town London 2 1.95x
New Forest 2 2500.00x
Radford 2 6.07x
Romsey Infra 2 59.88x
Sherborne 2 21.51x
South Bersted 2 28.99x
St George Hanover Square 2 2.36x
St Giles Cripplegate 2 31.35x
St Pancras London 2 0.52x
Thornaby 2 11.23x
Tottington Lower End 2 7.37x
West Derby 2 1.20x
Westhampnett 2 232.56x
Willesden 2 4.41x
Winfrith Newburgh 2 126.58x
Birmingham 1 0.25x
Fisherton Anger 1 12.71x
Lymington 1 13.81x
Richmond 1 13.42x
South Shields 1 7.85x
Southwark Christchurch 1 4.44x
Titchfield 1 13.46x
Westminster St Margaret 1 4.31x
Witton Le Wear 1 24.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 41
Elizabeth 20
Jane 17
Sarah 14
Ann 12
Margaret 12
Hannah 9
Florence 6
Alice 5
Emma 5
Anne 4
Catherine 4
Edith 4
Ellen 4
Lydia 4
Martha 4
Ruth 4
Eliza 3
Emily 3
Esther 3
Fanny 3
Frances 3
Isabella 3
Louisa 3
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Barbra 2
Eleanor 2
Eliz. 2
Gertrude 2
Lucy 2
Margt. 2
Nancy 2
Sophia 2
Susan 2
Amy 1
Anna 1
Beatrice 1
Catharine 1
Ellenor 1
Emlin 1
Ethel 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Isabelar 1
Jessey 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Lucey 1
Theodosha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 44
Thomas 21
William 20
George 16
James 14
Joseph 14
Charles 10
Edward 7
Henry 6
Alfred 5
Harry 4
Herbert 4
Arthur 3
Edmund 3
Ralph 3
Richard 3
Robert 3
Thos. 3
Abel 2
Albert 2
Anthony 2
Benjamin 2
Christopher 2
David 2
Fred 2
Frederick 2
Geo. 2
Mark 2
Stephen 2
Tom 2
Bertrand 1
Colling 1
Colville 1
Edwd. 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Fredk. 1
Fredric 1
Gerald 1
Hannah 1
Harold 1
Jeremiah 1
Jerrard 1
Matthew 1
Michael 1
Montague 1
Nicholas 1
Rennie 1
Robt.M. 1
Wm.Con. 1

FAQ

Hillary surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hillary surname in 1881?

In 1881, 492 people were recorded with the Hillary surname. That placed it at #6,854 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hillary surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 918 in 2016. That gives Hillary a modern rank of #6,215.

What does the Hillary surname mean?

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

What does the Hillary map show?

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