NameCensus.

UK surname

Hobkirk

A locational surname derived from a place name referring to a dry valley or ditch.

In the 1881 census there were 194 people recorded with the Hobkirk surname, ranking it #13,097 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 231, ranked #17,764, down from #13,097 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Hawick and Wilton and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Sunderland and Blackburn with Darwen.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hobkirk is 241 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.1%.

1881 census count

194

Ranked #13,097

Modern count

231

2016, ranked #17,764

Peak year

1998

241 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hobkirk had 194 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,097 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 231 in 2016, ranked #17,764.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 223 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Hobkirk surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hobkirk surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hobkirk 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 183 #11,166
1861 historical 162 #14,310
1881 historical 194 #13,097
1891 historical 197 #15,101
1901 historical 223 #14,134
1911 historical 113 #21,168
1997 modern 221 #16,565
1998 modern 241 #16,065
1999 modern 234 #16,506
2000 modern 226 #16,840
2001 modern 226 #16,620
2002 modern 232 #16,637
2003 modern 209 #17,620
2004 modern 210 #17,644
2005 modern 212 #17,473
2006 modern 211 #17,662
2007 modern 217 #17,520
2008 modern 223 #17,395
2009 modern 223 #17,735
2010 modern 230 #17,750
2011 modern 225 #17,841
2012 modern 223 #17,852
2013 modern 231 #17,703
2014 modern 233 #17,707
2015 modern 236 #17,477
2016 modern 231 #17,764

Geography

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Where Hobkirks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Hawick and Wilton, Gateshead, Edinburgh and Kirkhope with Yarrow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Sunderland, Blackburn with Darwen, Stratford-on-Avon and Shropshire. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Hawick and Wilton Roxburgh
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Kirkhope with Yarrow Selkirk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 018 County Durham
2 Sunderland 009 Sunderland
3 Blackburn with Darwen 001 Blackburn with Darwen
4 Stratford-on-Avon 014 Stratford-on-Avon
5 Shropshire 006 Shropshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hobkirk

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hobkirk

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hobkirk, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Hobkirk surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Hobkirk household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Hobkirk is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hobkirk 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

Hobkirk falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hobkirk

The surname Hobkirk originates from Scotland, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 13th century. The name is believed to have derived from the combination of the Old English words "hob," meaning a flat hill or ridge, and "kirk," meaning a church. This suggests that the name likely referred to a person or family residing near a church located on a hill or ridge.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of medieval records containing the names of Scottish nobility who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. In these rolls, the name appears as "Hobkirk," indicating its long-standing presence in Scotland during that period.

The name Hobkirk is also associated with several notable individuals throughout history. In the 15th century, a Scottish knight named Sir John Hobkirk fought alongside King James IV at the Battle of Flodden in 1513, where he lost his life. Another notable figure was Thomas Hobkirk, a Scottish minister who lived from 1658 to 1720 and served as the chaplain to King William III of England.

In the 18th century, the name appeared in various parish records and census documents across Scotland, particularly in the regions of Roxburghshire and Berwickshire. During this time, the name was sometimes spelled as "Hobbkirk" or "Hobbkirke," reflecting the variations in spelling that were common in earlier centuries.

One of the most prominent individuals with the surname Hobkirk was Sir Charles Parry Hobkirk, a British naval officer who lived from 1832 to 1912. He served in the Royal Navy and was instrumental in the development of early submarine technology.

Another noteworthy figure was James Hobkirk, a Scottish-American merchant and plantation owner who lived from 1728 to 1808. He played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War, serving as a colonel in the South Carolina militia and participating in the Battle of Hobkirk's Hill, which was named after him.

Throughout its history, the surname Hobkirk has been closely associated with its Scottish origins and the geographical features that likely inspired its formation. While variations in spelling occurred over time, the name has maintained its distinct identity and continues to be carried by individuals around the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hobkirk families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hobkirk 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. Durham leads with 33 Hobkirks recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.80x.

County Total Index
Durham 33 5.80x
Roxburghshire 32 92.41x
Lancashire 29 1.28x
Northumberland 25 8.79x
Lanarkshire 21 3.40x
Selkirkshire 14 80.92x
Midlothian 13 5.08x
Yorkshire 13 0.69x
Dumfriesshire 5 11.84x
Inverness-shire 4 7.01x
Caithness 2 7.64x
Berwickshire 1 4.32x
Devon 1 0.25x
Middlesex 1 0.05x
Northamptonshire 1 0.56x
Royal Navy 1 4.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Holmside in Durham leads with 16 Hobkirks recorded in 1881 and an index of 1142.86x.

Place Total Index
Holmside 16 1142.86x
Hawick 13 167.74x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 11 10.68x
Blackburn 10 16.57x
Douglas 10 561.80x
Liverpool 9 6.53x
Rufford 9 1525.42x
Elswick 8 35.24x
Huddersfield 8 28.99x
Jedburgh 8 235.99x
Monkwearmouth Shore 7 63.06x
Maryhill 6 49.59x
Melrose 6 137.93x
Cramlington 5 132.98x
Dawdon 5 71.43x
Jesmond 5 125.00x
Teviothead 5 1562.50x
Tundergarth 5 1612.90x
Glasgow 4 3.64x
Inverness 4 27.86x
Kirkhope 4 1111.11x
Coxlodge 3 138.89x
Yarrow 3 714.29x
Ashkirk 2 606.06x
Durham St Nicholas 2 142.86x
Greencroft Langley 2 800.00x
Halkirk 2 112.99x
Leeds 2 1.87x
Newcastle On Tyne St 2 13.57x
Oxnam 2 444.44x
Southdean 2 416.67x
Chelsea London 1 1.74x
Crediton 1 26.53x
Doncaster 1 7.23x
Duddingston 1 19.46x
Edinburgh St Marys 1 20.08x
Galashiels 1 15.65x
Govan 1 0.65x
Halifax 1 3.60x
Haydon 1 64.10x
Ladykirk 1 344.83x
Manchester 1 0.98x
Northampton St Sepulchre 1 10.93x
Royal Navy 1 5.14x
Seaham 1 48.31x
Wallsend 1 11.09x
Whitby 1 15.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Elizabeth 7
Jane 4
Ellen 3
Isabella 3
Margaret 3
Amy 2
Ann 2
Eliza 2
Esther 2
Georgina 2
Janet 2
Kate 2
Sarah 2
Annabella 1
Annie 1
Betsy 1
Elizabth. 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
George 1
Jinmua 1
Margt 1
Martha 1
Rebecca 1
Sara 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 11
John 5
Charles 3
George 3
Jacob 2
James 2
Joseph 2
Thomas 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Charle 1
Chas. 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Ernest 1
Hammond 1
Isaac 1
Percy 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Hobkirk surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hobkirk surname in 1881?

In 1881, 194 people were recorded with the Hobkirk surname. That placed it at #13,097 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hobkirk surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 231 in 2016. That gives Hobkirk a modern rank of #17,764.

What does the Hobkirk surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name referring to a dry valley or ditch.

What does the Hobkirk map show?

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