NameCensus.

UK surname

Hingston

A locational surname originating from Kingston, Cornwall or Kingston-upon-Hull, England.

In the 1881 census there were 377 people recorded with the Hingston surname, ranking it #8,309 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 595, ranked #8,776, down from #8,309 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin, Tormoham with Torquay and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Devon, South Hams and Teignbridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hingston is 626 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 57.8%.

1881 census count

377

Ranked #8,309

Modern count

595

2016, ranked #8,776

Peak year

1999

626 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hingston had 377 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,309 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 595 in 2016, ranked #8,776.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 541 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hingston surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hingston surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hingston 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 351 #6,715
1861 historical 351 #7,278
1881 historical 377 #8,309
1891 historical 428 #8,377
1901 historical 541 #7,611
1911 historical 491 #7,928
1997 modern 578 #8,362
1998 modern 623 #8,172
1999 modern 626 #8,196
2000 modern 593 #8,486
2001 modern 577 #8,514
2002 modern 576 #8,674
2003 modern 578 #8,546
2004 modern 567 #8,672
2005 modern 575 #8,523
2006 modern 582 #8,469
2007 modern 586 #8,515
2008 modern 596 #8,464
2009 modern 594 #8,663
2010 modern 620 #8,568
2011 modern 589 #8,814
2012 modern 589 #8,726
2013 modern 603 #8,713
2014 modern 610 #8,692
2015 modern 604 #8,692
2016 modern 595 #8,776

Geography

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Where Hingstons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin, Tormoham with Torquay, London parishes, Modbury, Bigbury, Ermington, Kingston and Devonport Stoke Damerel. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Devon, South Hams and Teignbridge. 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 Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin Devon
2 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
3 London parishes London 3
4 Modbury, Bigbury, Ermington, Kingston Devon
5 Devonport Stoke Damerel Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Devon 007 West Devon
2 South Hams 005 South Hams
3 Teignbridge 004 Teignbridge
4 South Hams 004 South Hams
5 Teignbridge 003 Teignbridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hingston

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hingston

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Hingston is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hingston is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hingston falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hingston

The surname Hingston originates from England and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "hinga" meaning a meadow or pasture, and "tun" meaning a farm or village. This suggests that the name was likely given to someone who lived in a settlement situated near a meadow or pasture area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hingston can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror after the Norman conquest of England. The spelling variations found in this record include Hingestone and Hingstune, reflecting the evolving nature of surnames during that era.

In the 13th century, the name Hingston appears in various legal and ecclesiastical documents, such as the Pipe Rolls and the Curia Regis Rolls. These records mention individuals like William de Hingeston, who was listed as a landholder in Somerset in 1242, and Roger de Hingeston, who was a clergyman in Oxfordshire in 1285.

The surname Hingston is also linked to several place names in England, such as Hingston Down in Cornwall, Hingston Hill in Devon, and Hingston Beacon in Somerset. These locations likely derived their names from the same Old English roots as the surname itself, indicating that the name was deeply rooted in the local geography and settlements of the region.

One notable figure in history with the surname Hingston was Sir Benjamin Hingston (1825-1907), a British physician who served as the President of the Royal College of Physicians and was knighted for his contributions to medicine. Another prominent individual was Sir Sydney Hingston (1832-1920), a Canadian politician and lawyer who served as the Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada from 1887 to 1891.

Other individuals with the surname Hingston include Edward Hingston (1799-1878), a British architect known for his work on churches and public buildings in London, and William Hingston (1829-1907), a Canadian physician and politician who served as the Mayor of Montreal from 1875 to 1877. Additionally, John Hingston (1825-1903) was a notable Australian pastoralist and landowner in Victoria during the 19th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hingston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hingston 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. Devon leads with 232 Hingstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.30x.

County Total Index
Devon 232 29.30x
Cornwall 44 10.22x
Middlesex 40 1.05x
Kent 16 1.23x
Surrey 14 0.76x
Lancashire 9 0.20x
Channel Islands 7 6.21x
Dorset 6 2.40x
Hampshire 5 0.64x
Royal Navy 5 11.03x
Staffordshire 5 0.39x
Gloucestershire 3 0.40x
Leicestershire 1 0.24x
Northamptonshire 1 0.28x
Warwickshire 1 0.10x
Yorkshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Plymouth St Andrew in Devon leads with 28 Hingstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 45.90x.

Place Total Index
Plymouth St Andrew 28 45.90x
Plymouth Charles The 18 51.59x
Stoke Damerel 17 30.67x
South Brent 16 941.18x
Bigbury 15 2542.37x
Loddiswell 14 1333.33x
Dartmouth Townstall 13 402.48x
Hammersmith London 11 11.74x
Ermington 10 347.22x
Kingsbridge 10 502.51x
Paddington London 9 6.43x
Tormoham 9 26.86x
West Alvington 9 810.81x
Blackawton 8 579.71x
Budock 7 216.05x
Lambeth 7 2.11x
Pendleton In Salford 7 13.02x
St Helier 7 19.07x
Allington 6 269.06x
Aveton Gifford 6 521.74x
Edmonton 6 19.58x
Farnborough 6 317.46x
St Just In Roseland 6 317.46x
Dittisham 5 641.03x
Falmouth 5 32.81x
Harborne 5 12.15x
Liskeard 5 69.35x
Modbury 5 247.52x
Royal Navy 5 12.90x
St Mewan 5 375.94x
Berry Pomeroy 4 305.34x
Lewisham 4 5.78x
Morleigh 4 2857.14x
St Cleer 4 107.24x
St Pancras London 4 1.31x
Deptford St Paul 3 3.00x
Devonport 3 32.97x
Landrake 3 312.50x
Mevagissey 3 104.90x
Newton Abbot St Mary 3 45.18x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 3.92x
St Martin In Fields 3 13.17x
Thurlestone 3 638.30x
Totnes 3 64.79x
Ventnor 3 40.43x
Broadhempston 2 270.27x
Dartmouth St Saviour 2 88.50x
Dodbrooke 2 127.39x
Hackney London 2 0.94x
Halwell 2 229.89x
Kingston On Thames 2 4.49x
Madron Penzance 2 12.77x
North Huish 2 425.53x
St George In East London 2 5.59x
St Ives 2 23.72x
Staverton 2 206.19x
Stokefleming 2 200.00x
Camberwell 1 0.41x
Chatham 1 2.80x
Croydon 1 0.97x
Dartmouth St Petrox 1 87.72x
Dartmouth St Savior 1 106.38x
Doynton 1 192.31x
East Stonehouse 1 6.41x
Edgbaston 1 3.36x
Exeter St Stephen 1 243.90x
Gillingham 1 3.74x
Gloucester Holy Trinity 1 156.25x
Hellidon 1 243.90x
Horfield 1 13.32x
Kensington London 1 0.47x
Leicester St Margaret 1 0.97x
Liverpool 1 0.36x
Minster In Sheppey 1 4.65x
Portsea 1 0.65x
Slapton 1 123.46x
Southampton 1 161.29x
Stoke Gabriel 1 119.05x
Tavistock 1 11.09x
Wolborough 1 9.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 33
Elizabeth 17
Annie 10
Sarah 9
Eliza 6
Louisa 6
Jane 5
Susan 5
Ann 4
Caroline 4
Charlotte 4
Elizth. 4
Emma 4
Florence 4
Amelia 3
Blanche 3
Celia 3
Clara 3
Grace 3
Jessie 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Dorothy 2
Ellen 2
Esther 2
Ethel 2
Harriet 2
Helen 2
Jemima 2
Lucy 2
Martha 2
Nellie 2
Anna 1
Anne 1
Beatrice 1
Betsey 1
Edith 1
Elizth.Jane 1
Enid 1
Eveline 1
Evelyn 1
Harriett 1
Henrietta 1
Honor 1
Jeanot 1
Joanna 1
Johanna 1
Johannah 1
Julia 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 34
William 28
George 17
Charles 13
Alfred 11
Richard 10
Thomas 9
Philip 5
James 4
Robert 4
Samuel 4
Andrew 3
Edwin 3
Frederick 3
Henry 3
Arthur 2
Edward 2
Herbert 2
Joseph 2
Agustus 1
Albert 1
Alfd. 1
Anthony 1
Archibald 1
Bavel 1
Bavil 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Geo. 1
Gilbert 1
Gustavus 1
Harry 1
Howard 1
J.W. 1
Jno.Allery 1
Laban 1
Peter 1
Preston 1
R. 1
Reginald 1
Sarah 1
Saun 1
Sidney 1
Tregellis 1
Walter 1
Willie 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Hingston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hingston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 377 people were recorded with the Hingston surname. That placed it at #8,309 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hingston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 595 in 2016. That gives Hingston a modern rank of #8,776.

What does the Hingston surname mean?

A locational surname originating from Kingston, Cornwall or Kingston-upon-Hull, England.

What does the Hingston map show?

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