NameCensus.

UK surname

Hoar

A surname referring to gray hair or old age.

In the 1881 census there were 1,226 people recorded with the Hoar surname, ranking it #3,303 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 744, ranked #7,340, down from #3,303 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Crondall, London parishes and Portsmouth, Portsea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Devon, Shropshire and Chiltern.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hoar is 1,360 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 39.3%.

1881 census count

1,226

Ranked #3,303

Modern count

744

2016, ranked #7,340

Peak year

1851

1,360 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hoar had 1,226 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,303 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 744 in 2016, ranked #7,340.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,360 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hoar surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hoar surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hoar 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 1,360 #2,113
1861 historical 862 #3,211
1881 historical 1,226 #3,303
1891 historical 1,087 #3,886
1901 historical 1,264 #3,919
1911 historical 1,302 #3,661
1997 modern 965 #5,649
1998 modern 982 #5,757
1999 modern 977 #5,813
2000 modern 964 #5,859
2001 modern 936 #5,883
2002 modern 912 #6,139
2003 modern 862 #6,286
2004 modern 847 #6,368
2005 modern 807 #6,572
2006 modern 794 #6,671
2007 modern 787 #6,779
2008 modern 787 #6,846
2009 modern 804 #6,858
2010 modern 808 #6,966
2011 modern 811 #6,853
2012 modern 789 #6,917
2013 modern 785 #7,077
2014 modern 772 #7,196
2015 modern 751 #7,297
2016 modern 744 #7,340

Geography

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Where Hoars are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Crondall, London parishes, Portsmouth, Portsea, Hemel Hempstead and Luton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Devon, Shropshire, Chiltern, Eastleigh and County Durham. 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 Crondall Hampshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
4 Hemel Hempstead Hertfordshire
5 Luton Bedfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Devon 005 West Devon
2 Shropshire 033 Shropshire
3 Chiltern 007 Chiltern
4 Eastleigh 015 Eastleigh
5 County Durham 018 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hoar

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hoar

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

Hoar 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

Hoar 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 Hoar is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hoar

The surname Hoar is believed to have originated in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "har," meaning "hoar" or "white-haired," suggesting that the name was initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone with gray or white hair.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Hoar surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195, which mention a person named Robertus Hore. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also contain references to individuals bearing this name, including Hugo le Hore and Willelmus le Hor.

During the Middle Ages, the Hoar surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Somerset. It is possible that the name may have originated from a place name, as there are several locations in these counties with similar spellings, such as Hore Abbots and Hore Batheneston.

In the 16th century, the Hoar surname gained some prominence with the birth of Leonard Hoar (c. 1630-1675), an English-born minister who became the third president of Harvard College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Another notable figure was Samuel Hoar (1778-1856), an American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts.

Other historical figures bearing the Hoar surname include Ebenezer Rockwood Hoar (1816-1895), an American lawyer and politician who served as the U.S. Attorney General under President Ulysses S. Grant, and George Frisbie Hoar (1826-1904), a prominent U.S. Senator from Massachusetts and a staunch advocate for civil rights.

In the literary world, Leonard Hoar (1630-1675), the aforementioned president of Harvard College, was known for his work "The Present State of New-England," which provided valuable insights into the early colonial period of Massachusetts.

While the Hoar surname may have evolved from various spellings and place names over the centuries, its origins can be traced back to the descriptive Old English word "har," reflecting the physical characteristic of white or gray hair.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hoar families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hoar 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. Hampshire leads with 299 Hoars recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.14x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 299 12.14x
Kent 145 3.54x
Middlesex 132 1.10x
Cornwall 95 6.98x
Hertfordshire 91 10.99x
Devon 86 3.44x
Surrey 69 1.18x
Oxfordshire 50 6.74x
Bedfordshire 49 7.87x
Sussex 34 1.68x
Warwickshire 25 0.82x
Berkshire 20 2.22x
Durham 20 0.56x
Buckinghamshire 16 2.20x
Lancashire 14 0.10x
Dorset 12 1.52x
Worcestershire 9 0.57x
Yorkshire 9 0.08x
Essex 6 0.25x
Glamorgan 6 0.29x
Huntingdonshire 6 2.51x
Midlothian 4 0.25x
Northamptonshire 4 0.35x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.25x
Royal Navy 4 2.79x
Somerset 4 0.21x
Staffordshire 4 0.10x
Lanarkshire 3 0.08x
Monmouthshire 3 0.35x
Norfolk 3 0.16x
Gloucestershire 2 0.08x
Channel Islands 1 0.28x
Herefordshire 1 0.20x
Suffolk 1 0.07x
Wiltshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 73 Hoars recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.12x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 73 15.12x
Hemel Hempstead 47 125.94x
St Pancras London 42 4.34x
Watlington 31 407.89x
Luton 26 24.14x
Caddington 23 252.47x
Maidstone 22 18.01x
Crondall 20 151.17x
Liskeard 19 83.44x
East Meon 16 248.83x
Idsworth 16 981.60x
Kensington London 15 2.24x
Lewisham 14 6.40x
Morwenstow 14 419.16x
Brading 12 36.65x
Camberwell 12 1.56x
Islington London 12 1.03x
Menheniot 12 212.39x
Petersfield 12 176.99x
Plymouth St Andrew 12 6.23x
Stoke Damerel 12 6.85x
Birmingham 11 1.09x
Chilham 11 188.36x
Liss 11 219.56x
Tavistock 11 38.60x
Beauworth 10 1886.79x
Houghton Le Spring 10 40.45x
Plymouth Charles The 10 9.07x
Aston 9 1.08x
Beckenham 9 16.79x
Hammersmith London 9 3.04x
Lanlivery 9 157.62x
North Hayling 9 818.18x
Waltham 9 432.69x
Wonston 9 314.69x
East Murton 8 119.58x
Guildford St Nicholas 8 77.29x
Hambledon 8 129.03x
Heaton Norris 8 9.86x
Oxford St Thomas 8 23.10x
St Cleer 8 67.80x
Storrington 8 143.88x
Strood 8 34.20x
Warblington 8 81.88x
Wigginton 8 273.97x
Wyke Regis 8 70.67x
Chartham 7 68.49x
Deptford St Nicholas 7 21.51x
Farlington 7 139.17x
Great Gaddesden 7 180.41x
Hayes 7 57.10x
Headley 7 104.48x
Lower Hardres 7 598.29x
Portsmouth 7 12.34x
Bramshott 6 98.68x
Calstock 6 22.49x
Crundale 6 530.97x
Fawley 6 483.87x
Goring 6 141.51x
Hartley Wintney 6 81.08x
St George Bloomsbury 6 8.70x
St Hilary 6 151.52x
Ventnor 6 25.61x
Woodstone 6 159.15x
Aston Clinton 5 81.17x
Battersea 5 1.13x
Birchington 5 87.11x
Bishops Waltham 5 48.73x
Dudley 5 2.62x
East Farleigh 5 72.67x
Exeter St Thomas The 5 19.61x
Flamstead 5 65.53x
Godalming 5 13.56x
Havant 5 40.10x
Heston 5 12.53x
Liverpool 5 0.58x
Odiham 5 46.25x
Shenley 5 91.58x
Southampton St Mary 5 3.23x
St Luke London 5 2.59x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 84
John 63
Henry 52
George 50
Thomas 46
Charles 33
Frederick 25
Alfred 23
Edward 23
James 19
Richard 17
Joseph 16
Arthur 13
Walter 13
Harry 10
Albert 9
Robert 8
Edwin 7
Frank 6
Samuel 6
Francis 5
Benjamin 4
Christopher 4
Herbert 4
Nicholas 4
Ernest 3
Fred 3
Fredk. 3
Jesse 3
Andrew 2
David 2
Earnest 2
Edmund 2
Fredrick 2
Matthew 2
Owen 2
Percy 2
Samson 2
Stephen 2
Wm. 2
Aquila 1
Charley 1
Charlie 1
Chas.W. 1
Chas.Wr. 1
Eli 1
Fredk 1
Jas. 1
Job 1
Wm.Geo. 1

FAQ

Hoar surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hoar surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,226 people were recorded with the Hoar surname. That placed it at #3,303 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hoar surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 744 in 2016. That gives Hoar a modern rank of #7,340.

What does the Hoar surname mean?

A surname referring to gray hair or old age.

What does the Hoar map show?

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