NameCensus.

UK surname

Hives

A surname denoting someone who lived near or worked with beehives.

In the 1881 census there were 268 people recorded with the Hives surname, ranking it #10,542 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 275, ranked #15,720, down from #10,542 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sileby, St Werburgh and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Manchester, Fylde and Invergordon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hives is 346 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.6%.

1881 census count

268

Ranked #10,542

Modern count

275

2016, ranked #15,720

Peak year

1999

346 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hives had 268 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,542 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 275 in 2016, ranked #15,720.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 331 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hives surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hives surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hives 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 199 #10,441
1861 historical 216 #11,273
1881 historical 268 #10,542
1891 historical 331 #10,277
1901 historical 309 #11,418
1911 historical 274 #12,150
1997 modern 341 #12,407
1998 modern 332 #12,990
1999 modern 346 #12,726
2000 modern 339 #12,857
2001 modern 331 #12,869
2002 modern 336 #12,992
2003 modern 320 #13,239
2004 modern 328 #13,058
2005 modern 334 #12,818
2006 modern 321 #13,258
2007 modern 321 #13,403
2008 modern 319 #13,581
2009 modern 332 #13,458
2010 modern 344 #13,393
2011 modern 325 #13,808
2012 modern 303 #14,415
2013 modern 304 #14,614
2014 modern 303 #14,733
2015 modern 287 #15,235
2016 modern 275 #15,720

Geography

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Where Hives' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sileby, St Werburgh, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Olney, Lavendon and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Manchester, Fylde, Invergordon, Neath Port Talbot and Kelvingrove and University. 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 Sileby Leicestershire
2 St Werburgh Derbyshire
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 Olney, Lavendon Buckinghamshire
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Manchester 056 Manchester
2 Fylde 009 Fylde
3 Invergordon Highland
4 Neath Port Talbot 015 Neath Port Talbot
5 Kelvingrove and University Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hives

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hives

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

Hives is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Hives

The surname Hives is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "hifu," meaning a hive for bees. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who kept bees or lived near a place where bees were kept.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Hiues" in Warwickshire. This entry likely refers to a person who owned or worked with beehives in that area.

During the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "de la Hyve" and "atte Hyve," indicating that some families took their surnames from the locations where they lived or worked near beehives.

In the 14th century, records show the name spelled as "Hive" and "Hives" in several counties across England, including Essex, Norfolk, and Oxfordshire. This suggests that the name had become more widespread and established by that time.

One notable figure with the surname Hives was John Hives, a wealthy merchant who lived in London in the late 15th century. He was a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers and served as an alderman in the City of London.

Another person of note was Sir Edward Hives, a prominent landowner and member of parliament from Gloucestershire in the 16th century. He was born in 1520 and died in 1595.

In the 17th century, the name appears in various parish records and court documents across England. One example is William Hives, a farmer from Wiltshire who was mentioned in a land dispute in 1642.

During the 18th century, the surname Hives was found in various parts of England, with some families settling in London and other major cities. One notable figure was Robert Hives, a successful merchant and ship owner from Bristol, who lived from 1725 to 1798.

In the 19th century, the name continued to be present in various parts of England, with some families also migrating to other parts of the British Empire, including Canada and Australia. One notable individual was John Hives, a British explorer and surveyor who was born in 1810 and died in 1885.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hives families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hives 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. Yorkshire leads with 55 Hives' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.13x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 55 2.13x
Leicestershire 44 15.24x
Buckinghamshire 30 19.05x
Nottinghamshire 30 8.55x
Derbyshire 25 6.13x
Berkshire 18 9.21x
Middlesex 11 0.42x
Northamptonshire 10 4.08x
Hampshire 8 1.50x
Essex 6 1.17x
Surrey 6 0.47x
Lancashire 4 0.13x
Gloucestershire 3 0.59x
Kent 3 0.34x
Durham 2 0.26x
Lanarkshire 2 0.24x
Renfrewshire 2 0.99x
Warwickshire 2 0.30x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.61x
Herefordshire 1 0.94x
Hertfordshire 1 0.56x
Lincolnshire 1 0.24x
Norfolk 1 0.25x
Northumberland 1 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hickling in Nottinghamshire leads with 18 Hives' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4090.91x.

Place Total Index
Hickling 18 4090.91x
Lavendon 16 2253.52x
Earley 13 398.77x
Newport Pagnell 12 364.74x
Asfordby 11 2291.67x
Sileby 10 549.45x
Woodhouse 10 869.57x
Bradfield 8 80.40x
Sheffield 8 9.74x
Derby St Peter 7 53.89x
Leeds 7 4.80x
Leicester St Margaret 7 9.94x
Basford 6 37.08x
Broomy 6 5454.55x
Derby St Michael 6 697.67x
Prittlewell 6 84.27x
Swinton In Rotherham 6 87.98x
Bulwell 5 65.53x
Derby All Sts 5 146.63x
Hungerford 5 189.39x
Paddington London 5 5.22x
Ecclesall Bierlow 4 7.62x
Guildford St Mary 4 256.41x
Mexborough 4 78.13x
South Elmshall 4 851.06x
Wollaston 4 296.30x
Wortley In Bramley 4 19.57x
Derby St Alkmund 3 24.55x
Liverpool 3 1.60x
Queniborough 3 612.24x
Westbury On Trym 3 17.34x
Beckenham 2 17.21x
Brightside Bierlow 2 3.95x
East Greenock 2 10.49x
Ecclesfield 2 10.57x
Govan 2 0.96x
Hammersmith London 2 3.12x
Headingley Cum Burley 2 12.04x
Ilkeston 2 17.50x
Millbrook 2 14.88x
Newton Blossomville 2 869.57x
Northampton All Sts 2 24.07x
Northampton St Sepulchre 2 16.05x
Sandal Magna 2 52.36x
Stoke 2 155.04x
Barkby 1 178.57x
Barlborough 1 66.23x
Bethnal Green London 1 0.88x
Canterbury St Augustine 1 303.03x
Chapel En Le Frith 1 26.88x
Chertsey 1 12.20x
Crawcrook 1 250.00x
Elloughton Cum Brough 1 126.58x
Frisby On The Wreake 1 285.71x
Great Grimsby 1 3.78x
Haltwhistle 1 53.19x
Hitchin 1 12.35x
Hose 1 256.41x
Hunslet 1 2.49x
Kensington London 1 0.69x
Kingsthorpe 1 36.76x
Kingston On Thames 1 3.28x
Layton With Warbreck 1 8.82x
Middridge 1 129.87x
Mile End Old Town London 1 1.80x
Northampton St Giles 1 10.72x
Norwich St James 1 31.85x
Nottingham St Mary 1 1.10x
Ross 1 23.53x
Stoke Newington London 1 4.93x
Wisbech St Peter 1 12.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 16
John 15
George 14
Thomas 10
Henry 9
Arthur 5
James 5
Charles 4
Frederick 4
Walter 4
Alfred 3
Richard 3
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Geo. 2
Tom 2
Aaron 1
Albert 1
Benjaman 1
Bernard 1
Chares 1
Chas.Hy. 1
Christopher 1
Ebenneser 1
Elizabeth 1
Ernest 1
Esau 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Gervase 1
Graham 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
John. 1
Jonas 1
Joseph 1
Letitia 1
Matthew 1
Michael 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Teddy 1
Thos. 1
Timothy 1
Wilfred 1

FAQ

Hives surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hives surname in 1881?

In 1881, 268 people were recorded with the Hives surname. That placed it at #10,542 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hives surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 275 in 2016. That gives Hives a modern rank of #15,720.

What does the Hives surname mean?

A surname denoting someone who lived near or worked with beehives.

What does the Hives map show?

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