NameCensus.

UK surname

Hire

A surname derived from an archaic term for "wage" or "payment".

In the 1881 census there were 119 people recorded with the Hire surname, ranking it #17,841 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 150, ranked #23,724, down from #17,841 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Mary, Hythe St Leonard, Cheriton, Newington, Saltwood, West Hythe, Burmarsh and Freystrop. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swansea, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hire is 165 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 26.1%.

1881 census count

119

Ranked #17,841

Modern count

150

2016, ranked #23,724

Peak year

1861

165 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hire had 119 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,841 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 150 in 2016, ranked #23,724.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 165 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Hire surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hire surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hire 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 143 #13,343
1861 historical 165 #14,112
1881 historical 119 #17,841
1891 historical 127 #20,496
1901 historical 114 #21,166
1911 historical 135 #19,058
1997 modern 108 #25,788
1998 modern 117 #25,190
1999 modern 121 #24,855
2000 modern 132 #23,562
2001 modern 124 #24,114
2002 modern 125 #24,492
2003 modern 121 #24,776
2004 modern 124 #24,559
2005 modern 127 #24,178
2006 modern 124 #24,750
2007 modern 126 #24,860
2008 modern 130 #24,695
2009 modern 140 #24,033
2010 modern 149 #23,598
2011 modern 149 #23,408
2012 modern 160 #22,260
2013 modern 155 #23,108
2014 modern 155 #23,333
2015 modern 150 #23,718
2016 modern 150 #23,724

Geography

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Where Hires are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Mary, Hythe St Leonard, Cheriton, Newington, Saltwood, West Hythe, Burmarsh, Freystrop, Marloes and Llangeinor. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swansea, Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Northwest Lewis and Blaenau Gwent. 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 St Mary Pembrokeshire
2 Hythe St Leonard, Cheriton, Newington, Saltwood, West Hythe, Burmarsh Kent
3 Freystrop Pembrokeshire
4 Marloes Pembrokeshire
5 Llangeinor Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swansea 001 Swansea
2 Pembrokeshire 010 Pembrokeshire
3 Carmarthenshire 021 Carmarthenshire
4 Northwest Lewis Na h-Eileanan Siar
5 Blaenau Gwent 006 Blaenau Gwent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hire

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hire

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Hire surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Hire household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Hire is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hire is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hire 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 Hire is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Hire

The surname "HIRE" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name derived from the Old English words "hir" meaning a hired worker or servant, and "ie" meaning an island or low-lying land. This suggests that the name may have referred to someone who worked as a hired hand or servant on an island or a coastal region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a person named "Hiremannus" living in Lincolnshire. This entry provides evidence of the name's existence in England during the 11th century.

In the 13th century, there are records of a family named "Hire" residing in the village of Hire, located in the county of Gloucestershire. This place name is believed to be derived from the Old English words "hir" and "ieg," meaning a hired worker's island or land.

Notable individuals with the surname "HIRE" throughout history include:

1. William Hire (c. 1370-1445), an English clergyman who served as the Abbot of Glastonbury from 1420 until his death. 2. John Hire (c. 1510-1578), an English merchant and alderman who played a significant role in the wool trade between England and the Netherlands. 3. Elizabeth Hire (c. 1585-1650), an English writer and poet known for her religious works and her contributions to the literary community of her time. 4. Thomas Hire (1660-1732), an English botanist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of plant life in the early 18th century. 5. Margaret Hire (1725-1795), an English philanthropist and social reformer who advocated for the rights of women and the poor in her community.

While the surname "HIRE" is not as common today as it may have been in the past, its origins can be traced back to medieval England, where it was likely associated with individuals who worked as hired servants or laborers on islands or coastal regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hire families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hire 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. Pembrokeshire leads with 71 Hires recorded in 1881 and an index of 187.78x.

County Total Index
Pembrokeshire 71 187.78x
Kent 17 4.19x
Middlesex 15 1.26x
Surrey 4 0.69x
Glamorgan 3 1.45x
Northumberland 3 1.69x
Royal Navy 3 21.16x
Hampshire 2 0.82x
Berkshire 1 1.12x
Cornwall 1 0.74x
Hertfordshire 1 1.22x
Lancashire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Steynton in Pembrokeshire leads with 15 Hires recorded in 1881 and an index of 1229.51x.

Place Total Index
Steynton 15 1229.51x
Kensington London 12 18.14x
Pembroke St Mary 10 205.34x
Haverfordwest St Martin 9 1285.71x
Deptford St Paul 7 22.36x
Hythe St Leonard 7 489.51x
Haycastle 6 5000.00x
Roch 6 2727.27x
Llanstadwell 5 403.23x
Uzmaston 4 1739.13x
Haverfordwest St Thomas 3 394.74x
Lambeth 3 2.89x
Llangwm 3 833.33x
Morpeth 3 144.23x
Paddington London 3 6.86x
Royal Navy 3 24.75x
Woolwich 3 20.00x
Harroldston West 2 3333.33x
Marloes 2 1176.47x
Portsea 2 4.18x
Angle 1 526.32x
Bettws 1 250.00x
Clewer 1 27.32x
Cosheston 1 434.78x
Dale 1 714.29x
Liverpool 1 1.17x
Llandyfodwg 1 85.47x
Monckton 1 147.06x
Prendergast 1 172.41x
Rhoscrowther 1 1111.11x
Rotherhithe 1 6.80x
Saltash 1 96.15x
Tring 1 45.66x
Ystradyfodwg 1 5.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Sarah 6
Elizabeth 5
Alice 3
Ann 3
Jane 3
Anna 2
Edith 2
Emma 2
Julia 2
Margaret 2
Marian 2
Martha 2
Ada 1
Ameila 1
Blanche 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Dorcas 1
Eliner 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Lilian 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Marth 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Hire surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hire surname in 1881?

In 1881, 119 people were recorded with the Hire surname. That placed it at #17,841 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hire surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 150 in 2016. That gives Hire a modern rank of #23,724.

What does the Hire surname mean?

A surname derived from an archaic term for "wage" or "payment".

What does the Hire map show?

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