NameCensus.

UK surname

Hirons

An English surname derived from the Old French word "iron", referring to an ironworker or dealer of iron goods.

In the 1881 census there were 966 people recorded with the Hirons surname, ranking it #4,019 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,287, ranked #4,655, down from #4,019 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken, Newbold-on-Avon and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kingston upon Hull, Rugby and Stratford-on-Avon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hirons is 1,399 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 33.2%.

1881 census count

966

Ranked #4,019

Modern count

1,287

2016, ranked #4,655

Peak year

1998

1,399 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hirons had 966 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,019 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,287 in 2016, ranked #4,655.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,390 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hirons surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hirons surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Hirons 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 480 #5,191
1861 historical 528 #4,969
1881 historical 966 #4,019
1891 historical 1,118 #3,801
1901 historical 1,337 #3,743
1911 historical 1,390 #3,470
1997 modern 1,279 #4,460
1998 modern 1,399 #4,282
1999 modern 1,373 #4,378
2000 modern 1,351 #4,424
2001 modern 1,327 #4,411
2002 modern 1,346 #4,446
2003 modern 1,299 #4,490
2004 modern 1,297 #4,495
2005 modern 1,303 #4,421
2006 modern 1,304 #4,431
2007 modern 1,307 #4,463
2008 modern 1,304 #4,496
2009 modern 1,338 #4,495
2010 modern 1,342 #4,566
2011 modern 1,316 #4,587
2012 modern 1,285 #4,621
2013 modern 1,322 #4,585
2014 modern 1,311 #4,641
2015 modern 1,293 #4,659
2016 modern 1,287 #4,655

Geography

Back to top

Where Hirons' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken, Newbold-on-Avon, London parishes, 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 Kingston upon Hull, Rugby, Stratford-on-Avon and South Northamptonshire. 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 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire
2 Newbold-on-Avon Warwickshire
3 London parishes London 2
4 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
5 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kingston upon Hull 002 Kingston upon Hull, City of
2 Rugby 010 Rugby
3 Stratford-on-Avon 004 Stratford-on-Avon
4 South Northamptonshire 006 South Northamptonshire
5 South Northamptonshire 011 South Northamptonshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Hirons

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Hirons

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Hirons is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hirons 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

Hirons falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hirons

The surname Hirons has its origins in England, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "hir," meaning "hired" or "servant," suggesting that the name may have originally referred to someone who was a hired worker or servant.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Hirons surname can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire, a census-like record compiled in 1279. Here, the name appears as "Hiroun," a spelling variation that reflects the evolution of the surname over time.

In the 14th century, the name took on various spellings, such as "Hyroun" and "Hyroun," as evidenced in historical documents like the Lancashire Inquests of 1310-1333 and the Yorkshire Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1379. These records provide valuable insights into the geographic distribution of the Hirons name during this period, indicating its presence in regions like Lancashire and Yorkshire.

The Hirons surname is also associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure is John Hirons, a 16th-century English clergyman and author who lived from approximately 1525 to 1584. He is best known for his work "A Godly and Learned Exposition upon the Book of Revelation," published in 1584.

Another individual of note is William Hirons, an English mathematician and astronomer born in 1680. He made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics and is remembered for his work on calculating the orbits of comets and planets.

In the 18th century, the Hirons surname gained further recognition through the achievements of Thomas Hirons, a prominent English architect and surveyor who lived from 1735 to 1804. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings, including the Shire Hall in Nottingham and the Croydon Parish Church.

Moving into the 19th century, the name Hirons is associated with John Hirons, a British soldier and military officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars. He was born in 1781 and gained recognition for his bravery and leadership during various campaigns against the French forces.

The Hirons surname has also been linked to various place names and locations throughout England, further solidifying its historical roots. Examples include Hieron's Wood, a wooded area mentioned in records dating back to the 16th century, and Hieron's Hill, a geographic feature found in the county of Gloucestershire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Hirons families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hirons 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. Warwickshire leads with 383 Hirons' recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.18x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 383 16.18x
Northamptonshire 110 12.46x
Oxfordshire 108 18.64x
Worcestershire 98 8.00x
Middlesex 58 0.62x
Surrey 35 0.77x
Staffordshire 28 0.88x
Leicestershire 27 2.60x
Herefordshire 19 4.94x
Buckinghamshire 15 2.64x
Gloucestershire 15 0.82x
Durham 14 0.50x
Hampshire 11 0.57x
Kent 11 0.34x
Yorkshire 6 0.06x
Derbyshire 4 0.27x
Flintshire 4 1.59x
Lancashire 4 0.04x
Cheshire 3 0.14x
Cornwall 3 0.28x
Essex 2 0.11x
Wiltshire 2 0.24x
Dorset 1 0.16x
Somerset 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. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 77 Hirons' recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.82x.

Place Total Index
Aston 77 11.82x
Birmingham 29 3.68x
Farthinghoe 25 2192.98x
Warwick St Nicholas 23 132.49x
Old Stratford 20 149.25x
Long Lawford 18 818.18x
Newnham 17 1278.20x
Warwick St Mary 17 82.73x
Battersea 16 4.63x
Coventry Holy Trinity 16 22.64x
Brandon And Bretford 15 1071.43x
Thurlaston 15 1415.09x
E Adderbury 14 479.45x
Wardington 14 703.52x
Neithrop 13 66.74x
Oldbury 13 21.56x
Helmdon 12 705.88x
Stratford On Avon 12 91.39x
Acton 11 20.00x
Burton Dassett 11 526.32x
Chalcombe 11 763.89x
Kings Norton 11 10.01x
Wellesbourne Hastings 11 491.07x
Bloxham 9 158.45x
Claines 9 26.76x
Duns Tew 9 909.09x
Tottenham 9 6.02x
Westoe 9 5.69x
Chaddesley Corbett 8 174.29x
Chipping Norton 8 59.70x
Ealing 8 9.54x
Leamington Priors 8 13.74x
Rugby 8 24.98x
Solihull 8 47.03x
Walton On Thames 8 38.11x
Byfield 7 274.51x
Churchover 7 673.08x
Foleshill 7 28.11x
Hereford St Owen 7 55.07x
Shoreditch London 7 1.72x
Sowe 7 164.32x
Tipton 7 7.22x
Walsall Foreign 7 4.28x
Bethnal Green London 6 1.47x
Castlemorton 6 250.00x
Edgcott 6 2500.00x
Harborne 6 5.91x
Hardwick 6 1052.63x
Himbleton 6 408.16x
Holdenhurst 6 11.89x
Kemerton 6 382.17x
Kidderminster Borough 6 8.37x
Long Compton 6 266.67x
Northampton All Sts 6 20.03x
Polesworth 6 53.38x
Stoneleigh 6 152.67x
Weedon Beck 6 94.94x
Willoughby Waterless 6 588.24x
Brinklow 5 198.41x
Cockerton 5 55.80x
Felton 5 1470.59x
Hillesden 5 704.23x
Leicester St Mary 5 5.95x
Northampton Priory St 5 9.44x
Pinvin 5 537.63x
Stock And Bradley 5 694.44x
Banbury 4 34.45x
Braunston 4 116.28x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 4 2.31x
Canterbury St Mildred 4 52.63x
Great Malvern 4 15.64x
Leicester All Sts 4 19.58x
Marton 4 333.33x
Penkridge 4 48.96x
Portsea 4 1.06x
Sheepy Magna 4 298.51x
Spelsbury 4 228.57x
Stretton Sugwas 4 412.37x
Whitford 4 30.60x
Worcester St Martin 4 24.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 73
Elizabeth 41
Sarah 35
Emma 22
Jane 21
Ann 20
Eliza 20
Annie 17
Ellen 14
Emily 13
Hannah 12
Alice 10
Martha 9
Kate 8
Ada 7
Anne 7
Fanny 7
Harriet 7
Edith 6
Harriett 6
Agnes 5
Charlotte 5
Amy 4
Susan 4
Caroline 3
Catherine 3
Clara 3
Elizth. 3
Louisa 3
Margaret 3
Minnie 3
Susanah 3
Susannah 3
Amelia 2
Anna 2
Elizh. 2
Esther 2
Florence 2
Gertrude 2
Lizzie 2
Lucy 2
Lydia 2
Maria 2
Nelly 2
Phoebe 2
Rebecca 2
Rose 2
Sophia 2
Susanna 2
Winifred 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 76
Thomas 54
John 50
George 49
Joseph 31
Charles 29
Henry 23
James 23
Edward 17
Samuel 10
Albert 9
Richard 9
Alfred 7
Arthur 7
Harry 7
Frank 6
Benjamin 5
Robert 5
Walter 5
Daniel 4
Francis 4
Frederick 4
Herbert 4
David 3
Ernest 3
Geo. 3
Anthony 2
Clement 2
Fred 2
Fredrick 2
Tom 2
Abraham 1
Alex 1
Barnes 1
Benjaim 1
Bertram 1
Chas.P. 1
Edwin 1
Emie 1
Franklin 1
Fredk.Geo. 1
Fredy 1
Josh. 1
Josiah 1
Llewellyn 1
Malcolm 1
Mark 1
Percy 1
Reuben 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Hirons surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hirons surname in 1881?

In 1881, 966 people were recorded with the Hirons surname. That placed it at #4,019 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hirons surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,287 in 2016. That gives Hirons a modern rank of #4,655.

What does the Hirons surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old French word "iron", referring to an ironworker or dealer of iron goods.

What does the Hirons map show?

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