NameCensus.

UK surname

Hipwell

A locational surname referring to someone from a place called "Hip Well".

In the 1881 census there were 518 people recorded with the Hipwell surname, ranking it #6,583 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 638, ranked #8,294, down from #6,583 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rugby, Lutterworth and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Norfolk, Kettering and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hipwell is 849 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.2%.

1881 census count

518

Ranked #6,583

Modern count

638

2016, ranked #8,294

Peak year

1911

849 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hipwell had 518 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,583 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 638 in 2016, ranked #8,294.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 849 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hipwell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hipwell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hipwell 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 346 #6,798
1861 historical 329 #7,748
1881 historical 518 #6,583
1891 historical 603 #6,360
1901 historical 748 #5,954
1911 historical 849 #5,229
1997 modern 687 #7,353
1998 modern 693 #7,538
1999 modern 716 #7,396
2000 modern 715 #7,383
2001 modern 689 #7,461
2002 modern 676 #7,722
2003 modern 677 #7,596
2004 modern 683 #7,554
2005 modern 661 #7,679
2006 modern 658 #7,734
2007 modern 659 #7,784
2008 modern 653 #7,890
2009 modern 664 #7,945
2010 modern 681 #7,943
2011 modern 684 #7,832
2012 modern 662 #7,949
2013 modern 666 #8,058
2014 modern 660 #8,149
2015 modern 656 #8,136
2016 modern 638 #8,294

Geography

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Where Hipwells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rugby, Lutterworth, London parishes, Whittlesey St Mary and St Andrew, Standground (Stilton & Peterborough, Northamptonshire) and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Norfolk, Kettering, Cornwall, Bassetlaw and Barnsley. 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 Rugby Warwickshire
2 Lutterworth Leicestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Whittlesey St Mary and St Andrew, Standground (Stilton & Peterborough, Northamptonshire) Cambridgeshire
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Norfolk 012 South Norfolk
2 Kettering 001 Kettering
3 Cornwall 019 Cornwall
4 Bassetlaw 001 Bassetlaw
5 Barnsley 014 Barnsley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hipwell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hipwell

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Hipwell is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Hipwell is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hipwell falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hipwell

The surname Hipwell is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name derived from a place called Hipwell or Hippewell, which was once situated in the county of Somerset. The name is composed of the Old English words "hyphel," meaning a small hill or mound, and "well," referring to a spring or stream.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hipwell can be found in the Feet of Fines for Norfolk, a legal document dating back to 1285, which mentions a Thomas de Hypewell. This suggests that the name was already well-established in that region by the 13th century.

The Hipwell surname is also documented in the Huntingdonshire Subsidy Rolls of 1327, where it appears as "Hypwell." Over time, the spelling evolved to its modern form, with variations such as Hippewell, Hippwell, and Hipewell.

A notable figure in history bearing this surname was Sir John Hipwell (1554-1632), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament who served as Recorder of London from 1618 to 1632. Another individual of note was William Hipwell (1805-1892), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in the city of Manchester.

In the 17th century, the Hipwell surname can be found in the records of the parish of Piddletrenthide in Dorset, where a John Hipwell was born in 1642. A century later, the Hipwell family had established a presence in the Yorkshire area, with the birth of Joseph Hipwell in 1743 in the village of Ecclesfield.

Among other notable individuals with the surname Hipwell were Benjamin Hipwell (1803-1875), a British politician and magistrate, and Henry Hipwell (1836-1892), a British entomologist and author who wrote extensively on the subject of butterflies and moths.

Overall, the surname Hipwell has a rich history dating back to medieval England, with its origins rooted in the Old English language and its geographic associations with the county of Somerset. Despite its relatively uncommon nature, the name has been borne by several notable figures throughout British history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hipwell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hipwell 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. Leicestershire leads with 133 Hipwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.65x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 133 23.65x
Northamptonshire 62 13.00x
Middlesex 60 1.18x
Surrey 53 2.14x
Warwickshire 48 3.75x
Cambridgeshire 22 6.85x
Lancashire 21 0.35x
Derbyshire 19 2.39x
Bedfordshire 16 6.09x
Buckinghamshire 15 4.89x
Staffordshire 14 0.82x
Huntingdonshire 11 10.92x
Norfolk 9 1.15x
Essex 6 0.60x
Sussex 6 0.70x
Yorkshire 6 0.12x
Worcestershire 5 0.75x
Kent 4 0.23x
Berkshire 3 0.79x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.29x
Cheshire 1 0.09x
Flintshire 1 0.73x
Lincolnshire 1 0.12x
Perthshire 1 0.44x
Suffolk 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 41 Hipwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.89x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 41 29.89x
Lutterworth 29 845.48x
Geddington 17 1111.11x
Newbold Upon Avon 16 1322.31x
Droylsden 15 76.37x
Leicester All Sts 15 135.87x
Hampstead London 13 16.46x
Whittlesey St Mary St 13 115.86x
Dunton Bassett 11 1549.30x
Lilbourne 10 2173.91x
Chalfont St Peter 9 355.73x
Hendon 9 49.32x
Islington London 9 1.83x
Rugby 9 51.99x
Sutton 9 50.34x
Winshill 9 177.87x
Ramsey 8 99.26x
Walgrave 8 761.90x
Whittington 8 72.79x
Wolverhampton 8 6.08x
Birmingham 7 1.64x
Great Houghton 7 1228.07x
Ibstock 7 171.15x
Walsoken 7 149.25x
Arnesby 6 821.92x
Battersea 6 3.21x
Coventry St Michael 6 14.60x
Croydon 6 4.37x
Hinckley 6 44.98x
Kingston On Thames 6 10.11x
Leeds 6 2.11x
Leverington 6 284.36x
Northampton All Sts 6 37.06x
Rotherhithe 6 9.57x
West Ham 6 2.71x
Bedford St Peter 5 73.31x
Bethnal Green London 5 2.27x
Edgbaston 5 12.61x
Hammersmith London 5 4.00x
Hastings St Mary 5 23.50x
Leamington Priors 5 15.88x
Long Ditton 5 123.76x
Richmond 5 14.44x
Rugeley 5 40.68x
St Pancras London 5 1.22x
Burton Latimer 4 138.89x
Kings Norton 4 6.73x
Leicester St Mary 4 8.80x
Loddington 4 888.89x
Ridgmont 4 307.69x
Salford 4 2.26x
Sharnbrook 4 275.86x
South Kilworth 4 547.95x
Aldermaston 3 322.58x
Belgrave 3 23.64x
Bradwell 3 69.44x
Isleworth 3 13.30x
Lambeth 3 0.68x
Olney 3 70.75x
Paulerspury 3 151.52x
Bedford St Paul 2 11.10x
Camberwell 2 0.62x
Chessington 2 476.19x
Clapham 2 3.15x
Elton 2 141.84x
Hillingdon 2 12.37x
Kensington London 2 0.71x
Lewisham 2 2.17x
Mansfield 2 8.45x
St Marylebone London 2 0.74x
Upwell 2 55.10x
Wisbech St Peter 2 12.41x
Chelsea London 1 0.65x
Desford 1 64.10x
Kirkmichael 1 67.57x
Leigh 1 12.44x
Poplar London 1 1.04x
South Bersted 1 13.76x
Widnes 1 2.30x
Wigston Magna 1 13.40x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 31
Sarah 27
Elizabeth 21
Ann 16
Annie 10
Eliza 9
Martha 9
Emma 8
Emily 6
Charlotte 5
Edith 5
Jane 5
Caroline 4
Clara 4
Rebecca 4
Amelia 3
Ellen 3
Frances 3
Hannah 3
Harriet 3
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Amy 2
Anna 2
Betsy 2
Ethel 2
Fanny 2
Julia 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Minnie 2
Phoebe 2
Priscilla 2
Susan 2
Susannah 2
Angelina 1
Arthur 1
Barbara 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth. 1
Emelia 1
Emely 1
Emmer 1
Herbert 1
Ida 1
Infant 1
Isobel 1
Kate 1
Libitta 1
Virtue 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 44
John 36
Thomas 28
George 17
Henry 14
Arthur 11
Charles 8
James 8
Walter 7
Alfred 6
Benjamin 6
Herbert 6
Samuel 5
Daniel 4
Harry 4
Albert 3
Edward 3
Ernest 3
Frederick 3
Joseph 3
Robert 3
Wm. 3
Abraham 2
Frank 2
Percy 2
Thos. 2
Amos 1
Claudius 1
Earnest 1
Edmund 1
Eli 1
Erving 1
Fredrick 1
Howard 1
Hurben 1
Infant 1
Isaac 1
Jacob 1
Jos. 1
Laurence 1
Louis 1
Oswald 1
Porter 1
Reginald 1
Richard 1
Sidney 1
Slater 1
Solden 1
Starkey 1
Wm.T. 1

FAQ

Hipwell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hipwell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 518 people were recorded with the Hipwell surname. That placed it at #6,583 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hipwell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 638 in 2016. That gives Hipwell a modern rank of #8,294.

What does the Hipwell surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from a place called "Hip Well".

What does the Hipwell map show?

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