NameCensus.

UK surname

Hobday

A locational surname likely derived from places named Hoby in Leicestershire or Hoby in Yorkshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,209 people recorded with the Hobday surname, ranking it #3,339 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,645, ranked #3,785, down from #3,339 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kings Norton, London parishes and Ramsgate. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stratford-on-Avon, Sandwell and Solihull.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hobday is 1,699 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36.1%.

1881 census count

1,209

Ranked #3,339

Modern count

1,645

2016, ranked #3,785

Peak year

2002

1,699 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hobday had 1,209 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,339 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,645 in 2016, ranked #3,785.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,674 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hobday surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hobday surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hobday 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 746 #3,543
1861 historical 740 #3,692
1881 historical 1,209 #3,339
1891 historical 1,348 #3,228
1901 historical 1,637 #3,152
1911 historical 1,674 #2,920
1997 modern 1,657 #3,586
1998 modern 1,691 #3,644
1999 modern 1,690 #3,678
2000 modern 1,681 #3,677
2001 modern 1,663 #3,643
2002 modern 1,699 #3,654
2003 modern 1,652 #3,666
2004 modern 1,668 #3,642
2005 modern 1,645 #3,650
2006 modern 1,616 #3,708
2007 modern 1,642 #3,688
2008 modern 1,620 #3,750
2009 modern 1,651 #3,780
2010 modern 1,665 #3,828
2011 modern 1,635 #3,844
2012 modern 1,634 #3,767
2013 modern 1,658 #3,789
2014 modern 1,673 #3,775
2015 modern 1,649 #3,786
2016 modern 1,645 #3,785

Geography

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Where Hobdays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kings Norton, London parishes, Ramsgate and Stretton-on-Dunsmoor. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stratford-on-Avon, Sandwell and Solihull. 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 Kings Norton Worcestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Ramsgate Kent
4 Stretton-on-Dunsmoor Warwickshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stratford-on-Avon 005 Stratford-on-Avon
2 Sandwell 014 Sandwell
3 Solihull 028 Solihull
4 Solihull 026 Solihull
5 Sandwell 009 Sandwell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hobday

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hobday

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Hobday is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hobday 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

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

Meaning and origin of Hobday

The surname Hobday originated in England, with roots dating back to the medieval era. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "hob," meaning a rustic or peasant, and "day," referring to a male servant or hired hand. The earliest known spelling variations included Hobbedey, Hobadey, and Hobday.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Hobday surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a census-like record compiled in 1273. This document mentions a John Hobbedey, suggesting the name's existence during the 13th century.

In the 16th century, the Hobday name appeared in various parish records across England, particularly in counties like Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire. For instance, the baptism of a William Hobday was recorded in Steventon, Berkshire, in 1582.

The Hobday surname has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure was John Hobday, a 17th-century English politician who served as the Mayor of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis in Dorset in 1652. Another prominent bearer of the name was Thomas Hobday (1776-1854), a British architect known for his work on the Royal Pavilion in Brighton.

In the 19th century, the Hobday family played a significant role in the development of the Australian wine industry. Edward Hobday (1804-1865) and his son, Thomas Hobday (1837-1916), were pioneering viticulturists who established vineyards and wineries in South Australia.

Another notable Hobday was Charles Hobday (1870-1938), a British artist and illustrator renowned for his book illustrations and designs for postcards and advertisements during the early 20th century.

While the Hobday surname is not among the most common in England, it has maintained a presence throughout the centuries, with records indicating its usage across various regions of the country and in historical documents dating back to the Middle Ages.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hobday families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hobday 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 292 Hobdays recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.82x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 292 9.82x
Kent 259 6.44x
Worcestershire 127 8.25x
Middlesex 78 0.66x
Sussex 76 3.82x
Staffordshire 64 1.61x
Lancashire 52 0.37x
Durham 47 1.34x
Surrey 47 0.82x
Derbyshire 23 1.25x
Hertfordshire 21 2.58x
Oxfordshire 18 2.47x
Essex 16 0.69x
Shropshire 16 1.57x
Lincolnshire 13 0.69x
Anglesey 10 4.78x
Cheshire 9 0.35x
Devon 8 0.33x
Gloucestershire 5 0.22x
Angus 4 0.37x
Cumberland 4 0.39x
Yorkshire 4 0.03x
Midlothian 3 0.19x
Somerset 3 0.16x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.40x
Hampshire 2 0.08x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.85x
Norfolk 2 0.11x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.14x
Glamorgan 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 74 Hobdays recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.47x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 74 7.47x
Aston 70 8.55x
Margate St John Baptist 34 46.15x
Kings Norton 30 21.72x
Stretton On Dunsmore 29 1066.18x
Ramsgate 28 42.63x
Edgbaston 27 29.28x
West Bromwich 23 10.09x
Folkestone 22 28.19x
Deal 21 61.19x
Ombersley 18 209.79x
Benfieldside 17 73.66x
Neithrop 17 69.44x
Richmond 17 21.11x
Stockton On Tees 17 10.05x
Hackney London 16 2.42x
Bromsgrove 14 27.01x
Redditch 14 44.83x
Shoreditch London 14 2.74x
Ashburnham 13 416.67x
Ludlow St Lawrence 13 64.13x
West Ham 13 2.53x
Buckland In Dover 12 90.02x
East Barnet 12 74.44x
Claines 11 26.02x
Faversham 11 28.67x
Tipton 11 9.02x
Amlwch 10 50.84x
Brighton 10 2.49x
Derby St Peter 10 17.00x
Bexley 9 25.30x
Camberwell 9 1.19x
Hasbury 9 89.37x
St George Hanover Square 9 4.33x
St Lawrence 9 32.53x
Burton Upon Trent 8 8.59x
Canterbury All Sts 8 551.72x
Clee With Weelsby 8 19.38x
Dudley 8 4.27x
Harborne 8 6.27x
Hemel Hempstead 8 21.84x
Knowle 8 130.93x
Norton 8 52.56x
Rugby 8 19.88x
West Derby 8 1.95x
West Grinstead 8 133.56x
Bishop Auckland 7 14.87x
Butlers Marston 7 654.21x
Cheetham 7 6.71x
Eastbourne 7 7.65x
Herstmonceaux 7 117.06x
St Budeaux 7 91.62x
Tanworth 7 89.06x
Ashford 6 15.31x
Aylesford 6 53.81x
Battle 6 44.71x
Bedworth 6 27.65x
Bolehall Glascote 6 47.62x
Boughton Aluph 6 263.16x
Bow London 6 4.00x
Bromley London 6 2.31x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 2.70x
Conside Knitsley 6 21.99x
Dallington 6 280.37x
Hythe St Leonard 6 42.19x
Liverpool 6 0.71x
Stratford On Avon 6 36.36x
Blackley 5 20.38x
Charlton 5 18.71x
Cheriton 5 30.49x
Maidstone 5 4.17x
Mayfield 5 100.40x
Pillerton Hersey 5 819.67x
Princethorpe 5 396.83x
Rotherhithe 5 3.43x
Ryton On Dunsmore 5 271.74x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 2.11x
Steyning 5 74.18x
Warley Wigorn 5 101.83x
Dundee 4 0.98x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 83
John 62
Thomas 57
Henry 35
George 30
James 28
Charles 25
Joseph 25
Edward 24
Arthur 15
Richard 14
Frederick 13
Alfred 12
Walter 11
Albert 10
Harry 8
Herbert 7
Stephen 7
Edwin 5
Benjamin 4
Ernest 4
Francis 4
Samuel 4
Thos. 4
Frank 3
Sampson 3
Valentine 3
Earnest 2
Ebenezer 2
Fred 2
Harold 2
Howard 2
Jane 2
Mark 2
Owen 2
Robert 2
Tom 2
Alexandra 1
Antony 1
Arther 1
Bernard 1
Bertram 1
Brumorle 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
F.W. 1
Fanny 1
Isaac 1
Jacob 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Hobday surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hobday surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,209 people were recorded with the Hobday surname. That placed it at #3,339 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hobday surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,645 in 2016. That gives Hobday a modern rank of #3,785.

What does the Hobday surname mean?

A locational surname likely derived from places named Hoby in Leicestershire or Hoby in Yorkshire, England.

What does the Hobday map show?

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