NameCensus.

UK surname

Hinkley

From a place name meaning "Hinca's woodland clearing" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 546 people recorded with the Hinkley surname, ranking it #6,327 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 645, ranked #8,231, down from #6,327 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Werburgh and Benenden. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Derby, Brighton and Hove and Tunbridge Wells.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hinkley is 711 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.1%.

1881 census count

546

Ranked #6,327

Modern count

645

2016, ranked #8,231

Peak year

1998

711 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hinkley had 546 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,327 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 645 in 2016, ranked #8,231.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 680 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hinkley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hinkley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hinkley 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 352 #6,705
1861 historical 340 #7,497
1881 historical 546 #6,327
1891 historical 509 #7,323
1901 historical 622 #6,868
1911 historical 680 #6,214
1997 modern 672 #7,476
1998 modern 711 #7,389
1999 modern 691 #7,594
2000 modern 664 #7,808
2001 modern 656 #7,744
2002 modern 651 #7,933
2003 modern 645 #7,868
2004 modern 642 #7,912
2005 modern 627 #7,994
2006 modern 610 #8,182
2007 modern 609 #8,251
2008 modern 609 #8,309
2009 modern 624 #8,338
2010 modern 647 #8,273
2011 modern 636 #8,302
2012 modern 634 #8,229
2013 modern 647 #8,246
2014 modern 644 #8,324
2015 modern 637 #8,326
2016 modern 645 #8,231

Geography

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Where Hinkleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Werburgh, Benenden and Birmingham Town: Aston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Derby, Brighton and Hove, Tunbridge Wells, Ashford and Eden. 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 London parishes London 3
2 St Werburgh Derbyshire
3 Benenden Kent
4 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Derby 009 Derby
2 Brighton and Hove 024 Brighton and Hove
3 Tunbridge Wells 013 Tunbridge Wells
4 Ashford 013 Ashford
5 Eden 006 Eden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hinkley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hinkley

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Hinkley is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hinkley is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hinkley falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hinkley

The surname Hinkley originates from England and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "hinc," meaning "hinge," and "leah," meaning "woodland clearing." This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who lived near a hinged gate or door leading to a woodland area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a person named Roger de Hinkeleye is mentioned. This spelling variation highlights the name's connection to a specific place name, likely referring to the town of Hinkley in Leicestershire.

In the 13th century, the name can be found in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1226, which lists a Galfridus de Hinkeleye. This record suggests that the name had already spread beyond its initial geographic origins by this time.

During the Middle Ages, the Hinkley name was associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest recorded was Sir William Hinkley, a knight who fought alongside Edward III during the Hundred Years' War in the 14th century.

Another prominent figure was John Hinkley, a wealthy merchant and landowner who lived in Somerset in the late 15th century. He is mentioned in several local records and is believed to have been a benefactor of the church in his hometown.

In the 16th century, the name appears in the parish records of St. Martin's in Birmingham, where a Thomas Hinkley was christened in 1587. This suggests that the name had spread to the West Midlands region by this time.

One of the most notable individuals with the Hinkley surname was Sir John Hinkley, who was born in 1592 and served as Lord Mayor of London in 1645. He played a significant role in the English Civil War and was a staunch supporter of the Parliamentarian cause.

Another historical figure was Reverend John Hinkley, who was born in 1617 and served as a Puritan minister in Massachusetts during the colonial era. He was a prominent figure in the early days of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and was known for his strict adherence to Puritan principles.

As the surname spread throughout England and eventually to other parts of the world, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Hinkeley, Hinckley, and Hinckeley. While the exact origins of the name remain somewhat obscure, its longevity and historical connections make it a fascinating subject for further study.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hinkley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hinkley 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 193 Hinkleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.62x.

County Total Index
Kent 193 10.62x
Warwickshire 74 5.51x
Middlesex 63 1.18x
Sussex 52 5.79x
Surrey 41 1.58x
Staffordshire 24 1.33x
Yorkshire 24 0.45x
Derbyshire 19 2.28x
Durham 12 0.76x
Lincolnshire 10 1.17x
Lancashire 9 0.14x
Hertfordshire 5 1.36x
Monmouthshire 5 1.30x
East Lothian 3 4.25x
Berkshire 2 0.50x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.31x
Cheshire 1 0.09x
Devon 1 0.09x
Essex 1 0.10x
Hampshire 1 0.09x
Leicestershire 1 0.17x
Northumberland 1 0.13x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.14x
Shropshire 1 0.22x
Somerset 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 56 Hinkleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.51x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 56 12.51x
Brenenden 32 1367.52x
Cranbrook 29 376.62x
Chatham 20 40.01x
Hackney London 16 5.36x
Middlesbrough 15 21.82x
Aston 12 3.24x
Sittingbourne 11 76.66x
Tonbridge 11 16.78x
Derby St Werburgh 10 20.77x
Maidstone 10 18.47x
Mile End Old Town London 10 8.82x
Mitcham 10 60.98x
Shoreditch London 10 4.33x
Ore 9 134.73x
Battersea 8 4.08x
Dover St Mary Virgin 8 45.48x
Lewisham 8 8.26x
Rochester St Margaret 8 41.75x
Westminster St Margaret 8 31.14x
Bishopwearmouth 7 5.15x
Camberwell 7 2.06x
Hastings St Clement 7 82.84x
Horsemonden 7 264.15x
Withyam 7 182.29x
Betley 6 400.00x
Newington 6 3.05x
Stoke Newington London 6 14.46x
Swanscombe 6 73.53x
Upchurch 6 292.68x
Blackburn 5 2.97x
Brightside Bierlow 5 4.83x
Donington 5 163.40x
Hastings St Mary In The 5 26.10x
Lambeth 5 1.08x
Laughton 5 378.79x
Leamington Priors 5 15.13x
Mere 5 2500.00x
St George Bloomsbury 5 16.36x
Aston 4 330.58x
Birchington 4 157.48x
Deptford St Paul 4 2.85x
Esh 4 34.69x
Headcorn 4 147.06x
Rainham 4 80.16x
Abbots Bromley 3 112.36x
Audley 3 16.86x
Derby All Sts 3 43.10x
Dunbar 3 30.33x
Harborne 3 5.21x
Hastings All Sts 3 35.46x
Matherne 3 322.58x
Milton In Milton 3 38.86x
Rochester St Nicholas 3 53.10x
Uckfield 3 76.73x
Woolwich 3 4.47x
Brighton 2 1.10x
Broxbourne 2 27.47x
Buckland 2 151.52x
Chiddingly 2 123.46x
Coulsdon 2 42.37x
Denton In North 2 500.00x
Derby St Peter 2 7.53x
Hastings St Mary 2 8.95x
Keymer 2 31.55x
Lichfield St Chad 2 49.51x
Newcastle Under Lyme 2 6.29x
Newport 2 10.89x
Normanton 2 12.61x
North Meols 2 3.23x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 1.87x
St George Hanover Square 2 2.13x
St Marylebone London 2 0.70x
Stoke Upon Trent 2 1.05x
Ticehurst 2 36.43x
Tockholes 2 222.22x
Yalding 2 43.57x
Frittenden 1 58.82x
Kingswinford 1 1.53x
Whitstable 1 11.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 41
John 26
Thomas 22
George 17
James 15
Charles 14
Edward 14
Henry 12
Frederick 10
Alfred 8
Arthur 8
Samuel 8
Albert 7
Joseph 6
Edwin 5
Ernest 5
Robert 5
Walter 5
Francis 4
Frank 3
Herbert 3
Stephen 3
Benjamin 2
Edmond 2
Harry 2
Percy 2
Thos. 2
Adrian 1
Authur 1
Curtis 1
David 1
E.R. 1
Earnest 1
Iden 1
Jas. 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 1
Joshua 1
Langdon 1
Louis 1
Louisa 1
Mark 1
R. 1
Rupert 1
Samall 1
Sidney 1
Silas 1
W.C. 1
Wm.Hy. 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Hinkley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hinkley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 546 people were recorded with the Hinkley surname. That placed it at #6,327 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hinkley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 645 in 2016. That gives Hinkley a modern rank of #8,231.

What does the Hinkley surname mean?

From a place name meaning "Hinca's woodland clearing" in Old English.

What does the Hinkley map show?

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