NameCensus.

UK surname

Hockings

In the 1881 census there were 253 people recorded with the Hockings surname, ranking it #10,980 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 274, ranked #15,759, down from #10,980 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tormoham with Torquay, Lympston and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Hams, East Devon and North Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hockings is 315 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 8.3%.

1881 census count

253

Ranked #10,980

Modern count

274

2016, ranked #15,759

Peak year

1911

315 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hockings had 253 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,980 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 274 in 2016, ranked #15,759.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 315 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Hockings surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hockings surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Hockings 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 117 #15,456
1861 historical 125 #17,678
1881 historical 253 #10,980
1891 historical 282 #11,597
1901 historical 273 #12,409
1911 historical 315 #11,050
1997 modern 269 #14,543
1998 modern 288 #14,249
1999 modern 290 #14,281
2000 modern 284 #14,457
2001 modern 279 #14,408
2002 modern 282 #14,585
2003 modern 285 #14,295
2004 modern 279 #14,578
2005 modern 269 #14,869
2006 modern 266 #15,076
2007 modern 267 #15,225
2008 modern 273 #15,113
2009 modern 283 #15,020
2010 modern 296 #14,877
2011 modern 285 #15,140
2012 modern 260 #16,090
2013 modern 279 #15,574
2014 modern 284 #15,455
2015 modern 280 #15,485
2016 modern 274 #15,759

Geography

Back to top

Where Hockings' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tormoham with Torquay, Lympston, London parishes, Churston Ferrers and Littleham (including pt Exmouth). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Hams, East Devon, North Somerset and South Northamptonshire. 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 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
2 Lympston Devon
3 London parishes London 3
4 Churston Ferrers Devon
5 Littleham (including pt Exmouth) Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Hams 006 South Hams
2 East Devon 018 East Devon
3 North Somerset 001 North Somerset
4 East Devon 019 East Devon
5 South Northamptonshire 008 South Northamptonshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Hockings

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Hockings

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Hockings surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hockings household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Hockings 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

Hockings is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hockings 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 Hockings is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

Back to top

Hockings families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hockings 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. Devon leads with 186 Hockings' recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.21x.

County Total Index
Devon 186 36.21x
Middlesex 14 0.57x
Glamorgan 8 1.86x
Hampshire 8 1.58x
Surrey 6 0.50x
Somerset 5 1.26x
Warwickshire 5 0.80x
Ayrshire 4 2.17x
Derbyshire 4 1.04x
Durham 4 0.54x
Monmouthshire 3 1.68x
Cornwall 1 0.36x
Hertfordshire 1 0.59x
Kent 1 0.12x
Lancashire 1 0.03x
Pembrokeshire 1 1.28x
Suffolk 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Churston Ferrers in Devon leads with 26 Hockings' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4814.81x.

Place Total Index
Churston Ferrers 26 4814.81x
Newton Abbot St Mary 24 556.84x
Brixham 22 369.75x
Plymouth St Andrew 15 37.91x
Lympston 14 1521.74x
Tormoham 14 64.40x
Plymouth Charles The 11 48.61x
Rattery 10 3030.30x
Withycombe Rawleigh 9 335.82x
Coyty Lower 6 215.05x
Littleham 6 159.57x
Mile End Old Town London 6 11.42x
Stoke Damerel 6 16.69x
Birmingham 5 2.41x
Ermington 5 267.38x
Woodleigh 5 2941.18x
Auckinleck 4 69.93x
Chilton 4 174.67x
Lambeth 4 1.86x
Staveley 4 58.31x
Weston Super Mare 4 39.88x
Ashburton 3 121.95x
Diptford 3 535.71x
Plymstock 3 111.52x
Portsea 3 3.03x
St Andrew Holborn London 3 28.06x
Upper Llanvrechva 3 108.30x
Aldershot 2 11.80x
Lymington 2 53.76x
Paignton 2 51.15x
Plympton St Mary 2 67.34x
Totnes 2 66.67x
West Teignmouth 2 50.89x
Bovey Tracey 1 55.56x
Camberwell 1 0.63x
Cardiff St Mary 1 4.22x
Castlemartin 1 303.03x
Dalton In Furness 1 8.85x
Debenham 1 100.00x
Gulval 1 55.56x
Hackney London 1 0.72x
Hammersmith London 1 1.64x
Ilfracombe 1 18.90x
Kensington London 1 0.73x
Lewisham 1 2.23x
Newington 1 1.10x
Newton Nottage 1 84.75x
Ryde 1 9.20x
St Giles In Fields London 1 8.26x
St Pancras London 1 0.50x
Totteridge 1 188.68x
Winsford 1 243.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 22
William 21
Samuel 10
George 8
Charles 7
James 6
Richard 6
Henry 5
Robert 4
Thomas 4
Albert 3
Frederick 2
Joseph 2
Louis 2
Abraham 1
Arthur 1
Benny 1
Bertie 1
Eli 1
Emanuel 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Percy 1
Theodore 1
Wm. 1
Wm.Francis 1
Wm.H. 1
Wm.K. 1

FAQ

Hockings surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hockings surname in 1881?

In 1881, 253 people were recorded with the Hockings surname. That placed it at #10,980 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hockings surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 274 in 2016. That gives Hockings a modern rank of #15,759.

What does the Hockings map show?

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