NameCensus.

UK surname

Holey

A surname likely derived from a place name or description of a holy person.

In the 1881 census there were 194 people recorded with the Holey surname, ranking it #13,097 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 117, ranked #28,033, down from #13,097 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newcastle All Saints, Birstall and Batley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, Peterborough and Selby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Holey is 466 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 39.7%.

1881 census count

194

Ranked #13,097

Modern count

117

2016, ranked #28,033

Peak year

1861

466 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Holey had 194 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,097 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016, ranked #28,033.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 466 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Holey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Holey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Holey 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 181 #11,256
1861 historical 466 #5,573
1881 historical 194 #13,097
1891 historical 332 #10,251
1901 historical 201 #15,059
1911 historical 231 #13,636
1997 modern 127 #23,352
1998 modern 122 #24,556
1999 modern 122 #24,745
2000 modern 122 #24,698
2001 modern 117 #24,974
2002 modern 109 #26,552
2003 modern 103 #27,234
2004 modern 115 #25,740
2005 modern 108 #26,736
2006 modern 113 #26,267
2007 modern 115 #26,348
2008 modern 110 #27,391
2009 modern 111 #27,846
2010 modern 112 #28,336
2011 modern 116 #27,477
2012 modern 117 #27,394
2013 modern 118 #27,686
2014 modern 121 #27,503
2015 modern 118 #27,833
2016 modern 117 #28,033

Geography

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Where Holeys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newcastle All Saints, Birstall, Batley, Brayton and Selby, Hemingborough (Barlby). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire, Peterborough, Selby and Harrogate. 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 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
2 Birstall Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Brayton Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Selby, Hemingborough (Barlby) Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 019 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 Peterborough 017 Peterborough
3 Selby 003 Selby
4 Harrogate 017 Harrogate
5 Selby 008 Selby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Holey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Holey

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Holey is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Holey 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

Holey 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 Holey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Holey

The surname HOLEY has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "hol," meaning a hollow or a hole, likely referring to someone who lived near a depression or a hole in the ground.

In the Domesday Book, a historical record of landowners in England compiled in 1086, there are several references to places with names like "Hole" and "Hola," which may have been the source of the surname HOLEY.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname HOLEY can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a person named Robert de Holi is mentioned. This spelling variation suggests that the name may have initially been pronounced as "Holly" before evolving into its current form.

During the 14th century, the surname HOLEY appeared in various historical records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, where a Richard Holey is documented in 1327. This indicates that the name had spread across different regions of England by that time.

In the 15th century, the HOLEY surname was associated with several notable individuals, including John Holey, a merchant from Bristol who traded with Portugal and Spain in the late 1400s.

Another prominent figure with the HOLEY surname was William Holey, a respected scholar and theologian who lived in the early 16th century. He was born in 1490 and served as the Dean of Worcester Cathedral.

In the 17th century, a branch of the HOLEY family settled in the village of Holley, Worcestershire, which may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of their surname.

During the 18th century, a notable HOLEY was Sir John Holey, a wealthy landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Shropshire from 1722 to 1747. He was born in 1689 and died in 1763.

In the 19th century, the HOLEY surname gained further recognition with the accomplishments of Sir Robert Holey, a renowned architect and urban planner. He was born in 1812 and was responsible for designing several landmark buildings in London, including the Royal Albert Hall.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Holey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Holey 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. Yorkshire leads with 128 Holeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.79x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 128 6.79x
Middlesex 24 1.26x
Durham 13 2.30x
Kent 7 1.08x
Glamorgan 6 1.81x
Lancashire 3 0.13x
Berkshire 2 1.40x
Cheshire 2 0.48x
Lincolnshire 2 0.66x
Derbyshire 1 0.34x
Devon 1 0.25x
Gloucestershire 1 0.27x
Hampshire 1 0.26x
Herefordshire 1 1.28x
Midlothian 1 0.39x
Somerset 1 0.33x
Surrey 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Selby in Yorkshire leads with 21 Holeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 532.99x.

Place Total Index
Selby 21 532.99x
Brayton 11 3235.29x
Batley 9 50.25x
Eastrington 9 3600.00x
Bishopwearmouth 8 16.47x
Heaton 8 396.04x
Islington London 8 4.34x
Beverley St Martin 7 222.22x
Burn 7 3181.82x
Hougham 7 181.35x
Ecclesall Bierlow 6 15.65x
Holbeck 6 48.04x
Llandaff 6 54.45x
Camblesforth 5 2777.78x
Hackney London 5 4.69x
Kellington 5 2500.00x
Tottenham 5 16.51x
Barlow 4 2857.14x
Cliff Cum Lund 4 952.38x
Eggbrough 4 2000.00x
Bournmoor 3 337.08x
Bridlington 3 69.44x
Headingley Cum Burley 3 24.73x
Hunmanby 3 340.91x
Burgh Upon Bain 2 1818.18x
Chester St John Baptist 2 26.49x
Hunslet 2 6.81x
Leeds 2 1.88x
Leyland 2 50.89x
Ratcliffe London 2 19.05x
Ashampstead 1 454.55x
Barnstaple 1 16.10x
Bermondsey 1 1.77x
Beverley St Mary 1 36.36x
Brandon Byshottles 1 14.10x
Burnley 1 5.26x
Cannington 1 109.89x
Castleford 1 14.58x
Cridling Stubbs 1 555.56x
Great Driffield 1 25.84x
Heck 1 666.67x
Huddersfield 1 3.64x
Ilkeston 1 11.98x
Kensington London 1 0.95x
Nether Hallam 1 3.92x
New Malton 1 44.44x
Oldstead 1 1250.00x
Orcop 1 277.78x
Shoreditch London 1 1.21x
St Faith Winchester 1 54.95x
St Giles In Fields London 1 10.72x
St Katherine Coleman 1 555.56x
Tilehurst 1 34.72x
Tudhoe 1 20.20x
West Calder 1 19.92x
Westbury On Trym 1 7.91x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Elizabeth 8
Ann 7
Alice 5
Emily 5
Hannah 5
Sarah 5
Eliza 4
Ada 3
Grace 3
Jane 3
Margaret 3
Annie 2
Edith 2
Emma 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Ameala 1
Amelia 1
Anne 1
Augusta 1
Beatrice 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Dande 1
Elizebeth 1
Ellen 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Hanna 1
Harriet 1
Judith 1
Maeth 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Meria 1
Millicent 1
Minney 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Tily 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 14
William 14
Thomas 9
George 7
James 6
Richard 4
Joseph 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Ernest 2
Fredrick 2
Herbert 2
Terence 2
Thos. 2
Aaron 1
Amos 1
Auther 1
Charles 1
Chas. 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Edward 1
Eli 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Gustafe 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Jarvis 1
Jesse 1
Oswald 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Victor 1
Vincent 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Holey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Holey surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Holey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016. That gives Holey a modern rank of #28,033.

What does the Holey surname mean?

A surname likely derived from a place name or description of a holy person.

What does the Holey map show?

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