UK surname
Derived from a place name meaning "bright hollow," or from a Germanic personal name meaning "renowned warrior."
In the 1881 census there were 47 people recorded with the Holbert surname, ranking it #27,019 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 65, ranked #34,017, down from #27,019 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Toxteth Park, Manchester and West Derby. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Holbert is 100 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.3%.
1881 census count
47
Ranked #27,019
Modern count
65
2016, ranked #34,017
Peak year
1861
100 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Holbert surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Holbert surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 59 | #22,756 |
| 1861 | historical | 100 | #21,103 |
| 1881 | historical | 47 | #27,019 |
| 1891 | historical | 58 | #29,439 |
| 1901 | historical | 67 | #26,703 |
| 1911 | historical | 68 | #26,050 |
| 1997 | modern | 64 | #31,233 |
| 1998 | modern | 69 | #31,076 |
| 1999 | modern | 66 | #31,509 |
| 2000 | modern | 62 | #31,939 |
| 2001 | modern | 60 | #31,985 |
| 2002 | modern | 57 | #32,661 |
| 2003 | modern | 57 | #32,704 |
| 2004 | modern | 60 | #32,684 |
| 2005 | modern | 65 | #32,387 |
| 2006 | modern | 62 | #33,043 |
| 2007 | modern | 62 | #33,346 |
| 2008 | modern | 65 | #33,303 |
| 2009 | modern | 64 | #33,675 |
| 2010 | modern | 69 | #33,560 |
| 2011 | modern | 71 | #33,392 |
| 2012 | modern | 69 | #33,695 |
| 2013 | modern | 64 | #34,127 |
| 2014 | modern | 68 | #33,898 |
| 2015 | modern | 66 | #33,976 |
| 2016 | modern | 65 | #34,017 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Toxteth Park, Manchester, West Derby, Ormskirk and Rotherham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toxteth Park | Lancashire |
| 2 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 3 | West Derby | Lancashire |
| 4 | Ormskirk | Lancashire |
| 5 | Rotherham | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Holbert surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Holbert, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Holbert surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Holbert household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Holbert is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Holbert is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Holbert, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Holbert is believed to have originated in the medieval period in the region of Franconia, which is now part of modern-day Germany. It is derived from the Old German personal name Holtbrecht, which combines the elements "holz" meaning "wood" and "berht" meaning "bright" or "illustrious". This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a wooded area or had some connection to forestry.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from the Kingdom of Saxony, dating back to the 12th century. The name is mentioned in the form "Holtbrecht" in a document from 1187.
In England, the surname Holbert can be traced back to the 13th century, with the earliest known bearer being Robert de Holberd, who is mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1254. The variant spelling "Holberd" likely arose due to the influence of the Norman-French pronunciation of the name.
Noteworthy individuals with the surname Holbert include John Holbert (1520-1598), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Bishop of Bristol in the late 16th century. Another notable bearer was Thomas Holbert (1625-1672), a Dutch merchant and explorer who voyaged to the East Indies and is credited with being one of the first Europeans to visit the island of Sumatra.
In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the name is that of William Holbert, a soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War and is mentioned in military records from 1776. Another prominent American with this surname was Samuel Holbert (1784-1866), a pioneer and frontiersman who helped establish settlements in the territories of Indiana and Illinois.
Other notable individuals with the Holbert surname include the English novelist and playwright Thomas Holbert (1805-1891), known for his works exploring themes of social injustice and poverty. In more recent times, the American artist and sculptor Robert Holbert (1917-2000) gained recognition for his abstract expressionist works and public art installations.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Holbert surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 22 Holberts recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.04x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 22 | 4.04x |
| Yorkshire | 7 | 1.54x |
| Glamorgan | 4 | 5.01x |
| Cheshire | 2 | 1.98x |
| Derbyshire | 2 | 2.79x |
| Essex | 2 | 2.21x |
| Middlesex | 2 | 0.44x |
| Devon | 1 | 1.05x |
| Kent | 1 | 0.64x |
| Pembrokeshire | 1 | 6.86x |
| Surrey | 1 | 0.45x |
| Sussex | 1 | 1.29x |
| Warwickshire | 1 | 0.87x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Castleford in Yorkshire leads with 5 Holberts recorded in 1881 and an index of 303.03x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Castleford | 5 | 303.03x |
| Manchester | 5 | 20.44x |
| Toxteth Park | 5 | 27.14x |
| Cardiff St Mary | 4 | 90.91x |
| Everton | 4 | 23.08x |
| Hulme | 4 | 35.21x |
| Ormskirk | 4 | 384.62x |
| Brightside Bierlow | 2 | 22.45x |
| Chorley In Macclesfield | 2 | 645.16x |
| Glossop Dale | 2 | 59.52x |
| Walthamstow | 2 | 61.35x |
| All Hallows Barking | 1 | 909.09x |
| Eastbourne | 1 | 28.09x |
| Edgbaston | 1 | 27.93x |
| Enfield | 1 | 33.22x |
| Margate St John Baptist | 1 | 34.97x |
| Southwark St George Martyr | 1 | 10.85x |
| Steynton | 1 | 212.77x |
| Tormoham | 1 | 24.75x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Holbert surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Holbert surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
FAQ
In 1881, 47 people were recorded with the Holbert surname. That placed it at #27,019 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 65 in 2016. That gives Holbert a modern rank of #34,017.
Derived from a place name meaning "bright hollow," or from a Germanic personal name meaning "renowned warrior."
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Holbert bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.