NameCensus.

UK surname

Holes

A locational surname deriving from someone who lived by a small valley or other hollow area.

In the 1881 census there were 170 people recorded with the Holes surname, ranking it #14,265 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 118, ranked #27,873, down from #14,265 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Milford with Keyhaven (incl. Efford), Lyndhurst and South Stoneham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Forest of Dean, Manchester and Southampton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Holes is 260 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 30.6%.

1881 census count

170

Ranked #14,265

Modern count

118

2016, ranked #27,873

Peak year

1861

260 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Holes had 170 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,265 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 118 in 2016, ranked #27,873.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 260 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Holes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Holes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Holes 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 141 #13,507
1861 historical 260 #9,516
1881 historical 170 #14,265
1891 historical 257 #12,476
1901 historical 201 #15,059
1911 historical 199 #15,016
1997 modern 134 #22,608
1998 modern 132 #23,394
1999 modern 128 #24,017
2000 modern 126 #24,220
2001 modern 117 #24,974
2002 modern 113 #26,024
2003 modern 108 #26,486
2004 modern 112 #26,159
2005 modern 101 #27,854
2006 modern 99 #28,453
2007 modern 105 #27,868
2008 modern 104 #28,341
2009 modern 109 #28,145
2010 modern 112 #28,336
2011 modern 115 #27,634
2012 modern 112 #28,174
2013 modern 116 #27,992
2014 modern 121 #27,503
2015 modern 120 #27,561
2016 modern 118 #27,873

Geography

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Where Holes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Milford with Keyhaven (incl. Efford), Lyndhurst, South Stoneham, Risborough, Princes and New Forest (Lady Cross Walk, Whitley Ridge Walk, Rhinefield Walk, Wilverley Walk, Holmesley Walk, Br. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Forest of Dean, Manchester, Southampton, Three Rivers and Sheffield. 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 Milford with Keyhaven (incl. Efford) Hampshire
2 Lyndhurst Hampshire
3 South Stoneham Hampshire
4 Risborough, Princes Buckinghamshire
5 New Forest (Lady Cross Walk, Whitley Ridge Walk, Rhinefield Walk, Wilverley Walk, Holmesley Walk, Br Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Forest of Dean 007 Forest of Dean
2 Manchester 007 Manchester
3 Southampton 015 Southampton
4 Three Rivers 003 Three Rivers
5 Sheffield 064 Sheffield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Holes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Holes

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Holes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Holes household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Holes 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

Holes is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Holes

The surname Holes has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "hol," which means a hole or a hollow, and likely referred to someone who lived near a depression in the landscape or a cave.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Holes can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it appears as "de la Hole." This suggests that the name initially referred to a specific location or landmark before becoming a hereditary surname.

During the medieval period, the surname Holes appeared in various forms, such as "Atten Hole," "Atte Hole," and "Athole," reflecting the regional dialects and spellings of the time. These variations illustrate the name's evolution from a locational descriptor to a fixed surname.

The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Holes, but it does mention several place names with similar roots, such as "Hole" in Worcestershire and "Holehurst" in Hampshire, indicating the name's potential origins.

Notable individuals with the surname Holes throughout history include:

1. William Holes (c. 1615 - 1661), an English sculptor and architect known for his work on the Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford. 2. Henry Holes (1789 - 1866), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a rear admiral. 3. Mary Holes (1859 - 1938), an English suffragette and activist who campaigned for women's right to vote in the early 20th century. 4. Sir Arthur Holes (1890 - 1976), a British diplomat and ambassador to several countries, including France and West Germany. 5. Edward Holes (1914 - 2003), a prominent British artist and sculptor known for his abstract works and public commissions.

The name Holes has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Holes Farm in Hertfordshire, Holes Bottom in Kent, and Holes Plantation in Cambridgeshire, reflecting the name's geographic origins and potential connections to specific locations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Holes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Holes 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 47 Holes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.51x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 47 14.51x
Bedfordshire 17 20.78x
Middlesex 16 1.01x
Buckinghamshire 15 15.70x
Hertfordshire 12 11.02x
Sussex 9 3.38x
Nottinghamshire 7 3.29x
Surrey 6 0.78x
Warwickshire 6 1.51x
Anglesey 5 17.86x
Norfolk 5 2.06x
Monmouthshire 3 2.63x
Cheshire 2 0.57x
Derbyshire 2 0.81x
Kent 2 0.37x
Northamptonshire 2 1.35x
Berkshire 1 0.84x
Devon 1 0.30x
Lancashire 1 0.05x
Leicestershire 1 0.57x
Staffordshire 1 0.19x
Wiltshire 1 0.72x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sway in Hampshire leads with 27 Holes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 6279.07x.

Place Total Index
Sway 27 6279.07x
Luton 17 120.06x
Walkern 9 1956.52x
Newport Pagnell 8 400.00x
Southampton St Mary 7 34.36x
Keymer 6 319.15x
Birmingham 5 3.76x
Holyhead 5 95.79x
Brockenhurst 4 714.29x
Clapham 4 20.25x
Hordle 4 714.29x
Kensington London 4 4.55x
Shoreditch London 4 5.84x
Wolverton 4 202.02x
Llanover 3 76.92x
Princes Risborough 3 234.38x
St Albans St Michael 3 245.90x
Tottenham 3 11.92x
Deptford St Paul 2 4.81x
Diss 2 96.15x
Eastbourne 2 16.31x
Gringley On Hill 2 444.44x
Hoose 2 307.69x
Newark Upon Trent 2 26.11x
Normanton 2 95.69x
Nottingham St Mary 2 3.63x
Redenhall 2 212.77x
St George In East London 2 13.46x
Wellingborough 2 26.77x
Aldershot 1 9.22x
Bermondsey 1 2.13x
Bow London 1 4.97x
Burton Upon Trent 1 8.01x
Everton 1 1.67x
Fillongley 1 175.44x
Hendon 1 17.57x
Leicester St Margaret 1 2.34x
Milford 1 105.26x
Norwich St Peter Mancroft 1 81.97x
Portsea 1 1.58x
Portslade 1 61.35x
Purton 1 80.65x
Ratcliffe Upon Trent 1 188.68x
Salcombe Regis 1 322.58x
Southampton All Sts 1 17.99x
Southwark St Saviour 1 12.32x
St Marylebone London 1 1.19x
Titchfield 1 40.98x
Whitchurch 1 204.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Sarah 6
Emily 5
Alice 4
Eliza 4
Hannah 4
Ann 3
Jane 3
Martha 3
Catherine 2
Edith 2
Elizabeth 2
Ellen 2
Kate 2
Margaret 2
Alace 1
Amelia 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Bertha 1
Elizth. 1
Florence 1
Harriett 1
Henrietta 1
Jemima 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Rose 1
Selina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 12
James 8
George 7
Edward 5
Henry 4
John 4
Robert 4
Thomas 4
Alfred 3
Frederick 3
Richard 3
Geo. 2
Harry 2
Joseph 2
Stephen 2
Abm. 1
Abm.G. 1
Abraham 1
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Charles 1
E. 1
Edgar 1
Elijah 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fred. 1
Fredk. 1
G.W. 1
Herbert 1
Josiah 1
Mathew 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
Simeon 1
Thos. 1
Thos.Milton 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1
Wm.James 1

FAQ

Holes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Holes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 170 people were recorded with the Holes surname. That placed it at #14,265 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Holes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 118 in 2016. That gives Holes a modern rank of #27,873.

What does the Holes surname mean?

A locational surname deriving from someone who lived by a small valley or other hollow area.

What does the Holes map show?

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