NameCensus.

UK surname

Hipkiss

An old English surname possibly derived from "hip" and "kiss", referring to someone with attractive hips.

In the 1881 census there were 581 people recorded with the Hipkiss surname, ranking it #6,004 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,227, ranked #4,857, up from #6,004 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dudley, Rowley Regis and Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sandwell and Dudley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hipkiss is 1,328 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 111.2%.

1881 census count

581

Ranked #6,004

Modern count

1,227

2016, ranked #4,857

Peak year

1998

1,328 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hipkiss had 581 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,004 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,227 in 2016, ranked #4,857.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 865 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Hipkiss surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hipkiss surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hipkiss 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 333 #7,015
1861 historical 284 #8,845
1881 historical 581 #6,004
1891 historical 640 #6,055
1901 historical 834 #5,443
1911 historical 865 #5,136
1997 modern 1,314 #4,364
1998 modern 1,328 #4,465
1999 modern 1,323 #4,531
2000 modern 1,321 #4,503
2001 modern 1,290 #4,512
2002 modern 1,296 #4,585
2003 modern 1,283 #4,529
2004 modern 1,276 #4,562
2005 modern 1,261 #4,555
2006 modern 1,245 #4,628
2007 modern 1,231 #4,723
2008 modern 1,249 #4,680
2009 modern 1,253 #4,768
2010 modern 1,268 #4,812
2011 modern 1,267 #4,763
2012 modern 1,235 #4,798
2013 modern 1,251 #4,815
2014 modern 1,237 #4,879
2015 modern 1,224 #4,882
2016 modern 1,227 #4,857

Geography

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Where Hipkiss' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dudley, Rowley Regis, Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire), Birmingham Town: Birmingham 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 Sandwell and Dudley. 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 Dudley Staffordshire
2 Rowley Regis Staffordshire
3 Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) Staffordshire
4 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
5 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sandwell 022 Sandwell
2 Dudley 020 Dudley
3 Sandwell 021 Sandwell
4 Sandwell 030 Sandwell
5 Dudley 034 Dudley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hipkiss

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hipkiss

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hipkiss, 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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Hipkiss surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Hipkiss household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Hipkiss 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

Hipkiss is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hipkiss falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hipkiss is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Hipkiss, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hipkiss

The surname Hipkiss is believed to originate from England, specifically from the county of Worcestershire. It is thought to have emerged during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is derived from the Old English words "hypp" meaning "hip" or "haunch" and "kyss" meaning "kiss". This combination suggests a playful or affectionate nickname for someone who was known for their curvaceous figure or perhaps a cheeky personality.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Hipkiss name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a William Hipkys is listed. This spelling variation reflects the fluid nature of surnames during that time, as they were often adapted based on local dialects and pronunciation.

In the 15th century, the name appears in the Worcestershire Musters Rolls of 1497, where a John Hypkys is documented. This record suggests that the Hipkiss family had established roots in the region by this point.

A notable historical reference to the Hipkiss name can be found in the Parish Registers of Inkberrow, Worcestershire, from the 16th century. These records mention several individuals with variations of the surname, such as Hepkis, Hepkys, and Hipkis.

One of the earliest known individuals with the Hipkiss surname was Richard Hipkiss, born around 1580 in Inkberrow, Worcestershire. He was a farmer and landowner, and his descendants continued to live in the area for several generations.

Another prominent figure was Thomas Hipkiss, born in 1658 in Inkberrow. He was a successful merchant and trader, and his wealth allowed him to purchase significant land holdings in the region.

In the 18th century, the Hipkiss family expanded beyond Worcestershire, with members settling in neighboring counties like Warwickshire and Staffordshire. One notable individual from this era was William Hipkiss, born in 1712 in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire. He was a skilled blacksmith and his work was highly regarded in the local community.

During the 19th century, the Hipkiss surname began to spread further across England and even into other parts of the United Kingdom. John Hipkiss, born in 1804 in Birmingham, Warwickshire, was a successful industrialist and entrepreneur, owning several factories in the city.

Finally, in more recent times, one of the most well-known individuals with the Hipkiss surname was Beatrice Hipkiss, born in 1891 in London. She was a renowned actress and stage performer, appearing in numerous productions in the West End and on Broadway during the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hipkiss families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hipkiss 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. Worcestershire leads with 219 Hipkiss' recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.59x.

County Total Index
Worcestershire 219 29.59x
Staffordshire 160 8.36x
Warwickshire 140 9.79x
Yorkshire 16 0.28x
Derbyshire 8 0.90x
Lancashire 8 0.12x
Monmouthshire 8 1.95x
Glamorgan 7 0.71x
Durham 6 0.36x
Middlesex 4 0.07x
Cheshire 2 0.16x
Ayrshire 1 0.24x
Gloucestershire 1 0.09x
Hampshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rowley Regis in Staffordshire leads with 74 Hipkiss' recorded in 1881 and an index of 138.81x.

Place Total Index
Rowley Regis 74 138.81x
Birmingham 70 14.70x
Aston 68 17.28x
Oldbury 61 167.54x
Dudley 45 50.01x
Wolverhampton 34 23.11x
The Hill 28 589.47x
Halesowen 18 276.92x
Gradley 16 446.93x
Lye 14 113.64x
Sheffield 14 7.83x
Tipton 13 22.19x
Wollescote 11 184.56x
Hawn 10 719.42x
Bilston 9 24.27x
Kingswinford 9 12.96x
Stoke Upon Trent 9 4.44x
Litchurch 8 22.40x
Handsworth 6 12.73x
Darlington 5 7.68x
Pendlebury 5 35.21x
Stourbridge 5 26.26x
Cakemore 4 330.58x
Gelligaer 4 17.75x
Panteg 4 62.02x
Bedwellty 3 4.15x
Clerkenwell London 3 2.24x
Harborne 3 4.89x
Llandaff 3 9.14x
Northfield 3 21.37x
Kings Norton 2 3.01x
Rushall 2 17.76x
Worleston 2 303.03x
Yardley 2 10.56x
Aldershot 1 2.57x
Barrow In Furness 1 1.09x
Cannock 1 3.00x
Chester Le Street 1 7.72x
Edgbaston 1 2.26x
Gloucester St Michael 1 39.22x
Lillington 1 54.35x
Moss Side 1 2.83x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 4.08x
St Quivox 1 6.97x
Trevethin 1 2.58x
Wakefield 1 2.32x
Warrington 1 1.25x
Whitwood 1 12.53x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 44
Joseph 27
Thomas 25
John 20
James 19
George 15
Albert 9
David 9
Charles 8
Edward 8
Harry 6
Henry 6
Samuel 6
Frederick 5
Solomon 5
Arthur 4
Richard 4
Frank 3
Herbert 3
Isaac 3
Willm. 3
Alfred 2
Caleb 2
Chas. 2
Daniel 2
Francis 2
Jesse 2
Joab 2
Josiah 2
Lewis 2
Moses 2
Saml. 2
Stephen 2
Thos. 2
Walter 2
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Enoch 1
Ernest 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Howard 1
Mabrey 1
Paul 1
Philip 1
Richd.Edgar 1
Robert 1
Samson 1
Silas 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Hipkiss surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hipkiss surname in 1881?

In 1881, 581 people were recorded with the Hipkiss surname. That placed it at #6,004 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hipkiss surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,227 in 2016. That gives Hipkiss a modern rank of #4,857.

What does the Hipkiss surname mean?

An old English surname possibly derived from "hip" and "kiss", referring to someone with attractive hips.

What does the Hipkiss map show?

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