UK surname
A German occupational surname derived from the word "Hinte" meaning a herdsman or cowherd.
In the 1881 census there were 16 people recorded with the Hint surname, ranking it #31,301 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7, ranked #37,967, down from #31,301 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Duffield, Battersea and St George the Martyr. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hint is 481 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 56.3%.
1881 census count
16
Ranked #31,301
Modern count
7
2016, ranked #37,967
Peak year
1861
481 bearers
Map years
4
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Hint surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Hint surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 130 | #14,314 |
| 1861 | historical | 481 | #5,426 |
| 1881 | historical | 16 | #31,301 |
| 1891 | historical | 316 | #10,639 |
| 1901 | historical | 45 | #29,156 |
| 1911 | historical | 163 | #16,939 |
| 1998 | modern | 1 | #38,814 |
| 2002 | modern | 2 | #38,400 |
| 2003 | modern | 2 | #38,424 |
| 2004 | modern | 2 | #38,464 |
| 2005 | modern | 1 | #38,814 |
| 2006 | modern | 3 | #38,334 |
| 2007 | modern | 4 | #38,169 |
| 2008 | modern | 3 | #38,396 |
| 2009 | modern | 5 | #38,122 |
| 2010 | modern | 3 | #38,552 |
| 2011 | modern | 4 | #38,338 |
| 2012 | modern | 3 | #38,530 |
| 2013 | modern | 5 | #38,195 |
| 2014 | modern | 7 | #37,929 |
| 2015 | modern | 6 | #38,076 |
| 2016 | modern | 7 | #37,967 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Duffield, Battersea, St George the Martyr, St Austell and Wisbech St Peter. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duffield | Derbyshire |
| 2 | Battersea | London (South Districts) |
| 3 | St George the Martyr | London (South Districts) |
| 4 | St Austell | Cornwall |
| 5 | Wisbech St Peter | Cambridgeshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Hint surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hint, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Hint surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Hint household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Hint is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hint is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Hint, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname HINT originated in Germany and dates back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Middle High German word "hinten," which means "behind" or "at the back." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone who lived at the back of a village or town.
The earliest known record of the name HINT can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the Margraviate of Brandenburg, dated around 1280. It mentions a person named "Hermannus Hint" from the town of Spandau.
In the 14th century, variations of the name started appearing in different regions of Germany. For instance, the spelling "Hinte" was recorded in the city of Lübeck in 1349, while "Hyntte" was found in Nürnberg in 1381.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname HINT was Johannes Hint, a German theologian and author who lived in the 15th century (c. 1420-1492). He is best known for his work "Compendium Theologicae Veritatis," published in 1472.
In the 16th century, the name HINT spread to other parts of Europe. Hans Hint (c. 1510-1580), a Dutch merchant and explorer, is credited with establishing trade routes between the Netherlands and Russia during this period.
Another prominent figure was Johann Hint (1592-1667), a German composer and organist who served at the court of the Elector of Saxony in Dresden.
During the 17th century, the HINT surname appeared in various parts of the Holy Roman Empire. One notable individual was Christoph Hint (1633-1719), a German painter and engraver from Nuremberg, known for his landscapes and architectural drawings.
In the 18th century, the name HINT was found in regions such as Silesia and Bavaria. Friedrich Hint (1701-1763) was a Silesian-born German jurist and philosopher who wrote extensively on legal theory and natural law.
As the name spread across Europe, it also began to appear in different spellings and variations, such as Hinte, Hintte, and Hinten, depending on the local dialect and language.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hint surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Kent leads with 4 Hints recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.05x.
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Halling in Kent leads with 4 Hints recorded in 1881 and an index of 10000.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Halling | 4 | 10000.00x |
| Cawood | 3 | 7500.00x |
| Harrow | 1 | 666.67x |
| Salisbury St Edmund | 1 | 714.29x |
| St George Martyr London | 1 | 500.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Hint surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
FAQ
In 1881, 16 people were recorded with the Hint surname. That placed it at #31,301 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 7 in 2016. That gives Hint a modern rank of #37,967.
A German occupational surname derived from the word "Hinte" meaning a herdsman or cowherd.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Hint bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.