NameCensus.

UK surname

Hiskey

A surname derived from an English place name meaning "hedge pasture."

In the 1881 census there were 61 people recorded with the Hiskey surname, ranking it #24,992 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 129, ranked #26,270, down from #24,992 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Aldham, Willesden and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Somerset, Chelmsford and Mid Suffolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hiskey is 152 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 111.5%.

1881 census count

61

Ranked #24,992

Modern count

129

2016, ranked #26,270

Peak year

1999

152 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hiskey had 61 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,992 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 129 in 2016, ranked #26,270.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 110 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Hiskey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hiskey surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hiskey 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 19 #29,904
1861 historical 40 #28,970
1881 historical 61 #24,992
1891 historical 80 #26,785
1901 historical 89 #24,154
1911 historical 110 #21,519
1997 modern 142 #21,856
1998 modern 149 #21,755
1999 modern 152 #21,636
2000 modern 140 #22,752
2001 modern 137 #22,740
2002 modern 147 #22,197
2003 modern 145 #22,172
2004 modern 148 #22,000
2005 modern 129 #23,963
2006 modern 127 #24,384
2007 modern 130 #24,389
2008 modern 131 #24,583
2009 modern 141 #23,907
2010 modern 146 #23,921
2011 modern 140 #24,395
2012 modern 135 #24,952
2013 modern 140 #24,779
2014 modern 139 #25,093
2015 modern 134 #25,607
2016 modern 129 #26,270

Geography

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Where Hiskeys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Aldham, Willesden, London parishes, Edinburgh and Wigan. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Somerset, Chelmsford, Mid Suffolk, North Norfolk and Ipswich. 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 Aldham Suffolk
2 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Wigan Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Somerset 018 North Somerset
2 Chelmsford 006 Chelmsford
3 Mid Suffolk 011 Mid Suffolk
4 North Norfolk 002 North Norfolk
5 Ipswich 015 Ipswich

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hiskey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hiskey

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hiskey, 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 Hiskey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Hiskey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Hiskey 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

Hiskey 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

Hiskey 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 Hiskey 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 Hiskey, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hiskey

The surname HISKEY has its origins in the north of England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, where it first emerged in the 13th century. It is believed to derive from the Old English words "hys" and "cae," which together mean "the enclosure by the brushwood."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, where a John Hiskey is listed as a resident of the village of Kirkby Malham. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the 14th century.

In the 16th century, the HISKEY name can be found in various parish records across Yorkshire and Lancashire. Notable examples include a Thomas Hiskey, who was baptized in the village of Skipton in 1562, and a William Hiskey, who married Margaret Ainsworth in the town of Burnley in 1587.

As the centuries progressed, the HISKEY name spread throughout England and beyond. In the 17th century, a Richard Hiskey (1624-1679) was a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Bristol, while a John Hiskey (1688-1743) served as a captain in the British Royal Navy during the War of the Spanish Succession.

The 18th century saw the birth of Sir Thomas Hiskey (1746-1821), a distinguished British diplomat who served as ambassador to various European courts. He was knighted by King George III in recognition of his services to the Crown.

In the 19th century, the HISKEY name gained further prominence with the exploits of Sir William Hiskey (1823-1897), a renowned explorer and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of flora and fauna in South America and Africa.

Another notable bearer of the HISKEY surname was Emily Hiskey (1867-1942), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded one of the first women's colleges in the United States and played a pivotal role in the suffrage movement.

While the HISKEY name has its roots in northern England, it has since spread across the globe, with bearers of the surname making their mark in diverse fields ranging from politics and academia to the arts and sciences.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hiskey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hiskey 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. Suffolk leads with 40 Hiskeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 55.21x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 40 55.21x
Lancashire 9 1.28x
Devon 6 4.85x
Yorkshire 4 0.68x
Somerset 2 2.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Elmsett in Suffolk leads with 37 Hiskeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 41111.11x.

Place Total Index
Elmsett 37 41111.11x
Dartmouth St Petrox 6 3333.33x
Rusholme 5 265.96x
Bradford 4 28.03x
Salford 4 19.27x
Bathhampton 2 2500.00x
Ipswich St Mathew 2 98.52x
Ipswich St Margaret 1 40.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Emily 3
Sarah 3
Eliza 2
Elizabeth 2
Maria 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Carroline 1
Edith 1
Elenner 1
Eva 1
Florance 1
Flory 1
Harriet 1
Ida 1
Kate 1
Lucy 1
Matilda 1
Mildred 1
Priscilla 1
Roseanna 1
Zilleh 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 4
John 3
William 3
Alfred 2
Frederick 2
Robert 2
Albert 1
Edward 1
George 1
Harry 1
James 1
Joseph 1
Phillip 1
Saml. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Hiskey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hiskey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 61 people were recorded with the Hiskey surname. That placed it at #24,992 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hiskey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 129 in 2016. That gives Hiskey a modern rank of #26,270.

What does the Hiskey surname mean?

A surname derived from an English place name meaning "hedge pasture."

What does the Hiskey map show?

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