NameCensus.

UK surname

Holiday

Derived from the Old English word hāligdæg, referring to a holy day or religious festival.

In the 1881 census there were 840 people recorded with the Holiday surname, ranking it #4,490 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 428, ranked #11,234, down from #4,490 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Kirby Moorside and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kingston upon Hull.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Holiday is 920 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 49.0%.

1881 census count

840

Ranked #4,490

Modern count

428

2016, ranked #11,234

Peak year

1891

920 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Holiday had 840 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,490 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 428 in 2016, ranked #11,234.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 920 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Holiday surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Holiday surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Holiday 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 825 #3,273
1861 historical 905 #3,060
1881 historical 840 #4,490
1891 historical 920 #4,495
1901 historical 735 #6,027
1911 historical 726 #5,895
1997 modern 389 #11,238
1998 modern 385 #11,698
1999 modern 395 #11,555
2000 modern 376 #11,928
2001 modern 366 #11,998
2002 modern 370 #12,121
2003 modern 360 #12,152
2004 modern 359 #12,222
2005 modern 373 #11,794
2006 modern 386 #11,537
2007 modern 395 #11,481
2008 modern 398 #11,525
2009 modern 422 #11,221
2010 modern 415 #11,654
2011 modern 409 #11,663
2012 modern 425 #11,157
2013 modern 426 #11,350
2014 modern 429 #11,347
2015 modern 420 #11,458
2016 modern 428 #11,234

Geography

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Where Holidays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Kirby Moorside, Manchester, Preston and Brough. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kingston upon Hull. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Kirby Moorside Yorkshire, North Riding
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Brough Westmorland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kingston upon Hull 031 Kingston upon Hull, City of
2 Kingston upon Hull 028 Kingston upon Hull, City of
3 Kingston upon Hull 002 Kingston upon Hull, City of
4 Kingston upon Hull 030 Kingston upon Hull, City of
5 Kingston upon Hull 001 Kingston upon Hull, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Holiday

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Holiday

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Holiday, 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 Holiday surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Holiday 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, Holiday 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

Holiday 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

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

Meaning and origin of Holiday

The surname Holiday is of English origin, derived from the old English word "haligdæg," which means "holy day" or "religious feast day." This name first appeared in the late 12th century and is believed to have originated in the county of Yorkshire, England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Holiday can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1200, where a person named William Halidai is mentioned. This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time.

In the 13th century, the surname Holiday was also found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, where it was spelled as "Haliday." This record suggests that the name had spread to other parts of England by that time.

The name Holiday is believed to have been an occupational surname, originally referring to someone who worked on holy days or religious holidays. It may have been given to individuals who were responsible for organizing or participating in religious festivities or ceremonies.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Holiday was John Holiday, who lived in the late 14th century and was mentioned in the records of the Corpus Christi Guild in York.

During the 16th century, the Holiday surname gained prominence with the birth of Richard Holiday (1516-1570), an English Protestant minister and author. He was known for his work "The Svrvey of the World in ten Books," which was published in 1566.

Another notable figure was Samuel Holiday (1642-1715), an English clergyman and author who wrote several theological works, including "The Great Duty of Remembering God's Benefits" and "The Marriage Honour Unmatch'd."

In the 18th century, William Holiday (1706-1773) was a renowned English engraver and artist who produced numerous works, including illustrations for books and engravings of landscapes and architectural subjects.

One of the most famous bearers of the surname Holiday was Billie Holiday (1915-1959), an American jazz singer and songwriter widely regarded as one of the greatest vocalists of all time. Her influential career spanned nearly three decades, and she is celebrated for her unique vocal style and emotionally powerful performances.

While the surname Holiday may have originated as an occupational name, it has since become a well-established surname in various parts of the world, particularly in English-speaking countries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Holiday families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Holiday 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 220 Holidays recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.71x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 220 2.71x
Middlesex 110 1.34x
Lancashire 81 0.83x
Kent 57 2.04x
Surrey 51 1.28x
Cumberland 33 4.67x
Essex 28 1.73x
Warwickshire 27 1.31x
Durham 26 1.07x
Northamptonshire 21 2.72x
Cheshire 19 1.05x
Norfolk 19 1.51x
Westmorland 19 10.54x
Oxfordshire 17 3.36x
Cambridgeshire 14 2.69x
Staffordshire 12 0.43x
Nottinghamshire 11 0.99x
Roxburghshire 10 6.73x
Worcestershire 10 0.93x
Dorset 6 1.11x
Huntingdonshire 6 3.68x
Suffolk 6 0.60x
Herefordshire 5 1.49x
Sussex 5 0.36x
Derbyshire 4 0.31x
Gloucestershire 4 0.25x
Wiltshire 4 0.55x
Lanarkshire 3 0.11x
Berkshire 2 0.32x
Midlothian 2 0.18x
Northumberland 2 0.16x
Brecknockshire 1 0.61x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.20x
Hertfordshire 1 0.18x
Leicestershire 1 0.11x
Lincolnshire 1 0.08x
Monmouthshire 1 0.17x
Royal Navy 1 1.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chelsea London in Middlesex leads with 19 Holidays recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.69x.

Place Total Index
Chelsea London 19 7.69x
Wickham Bishops 18 1200.00x
Salford 17 5.94x
Holy Trinity 14 7.16x
Lambeth 14 1.96x
Kirkby Moorside 13 250.97x
Margate St John Baptist 13 25.37x
Monks Coppenhall 13 19.03x
Birmingham 12 1.74x
Gomersal 12 31.63x
St George Hanover Square 12 8.30x
Castleford 11 37.16x
Preston 11 4.22x
Skelton In York 11 1250.00x
Kingswinford 10 9.95x
Morebattle 10 352.11x
Ovenden 10 27.64x
Great Yarmouth 9 8.61x
Poplar London 9 5.81x
Sarre 9 1730.77x
Selston 9 72.87x
Whitnash 9 750.00x
Carnforth 8 149.53x
Heap 8 15.49x
Hunslet 8 6.31x
Irchester 8 167.01x
Manningham 8 7.99x
Ruswarp 8 88.50x
St Anne Soho London 8 17.08x
West Derby 8 2.81x
Beeford 7 350.00x
Bermondsey 7 2.87x
Croydon 7 3.15x
Hoath 7 736.84x
Morley 7 16.56x
Newington 7 2.31x
Scalthwaiterigg 7 760.87x
St Luke London 7 5.32x
St Marylebone London 7 1.60x
Yardley 7 25.54x
York St Giles In 7 91.38x
Chesterton 6 37.45x
Crook Billy Row 6 19.19x
Flimby 6 100.50x
Great Creaton 6 681.82x
Hampstead London 6 4.70x
Hornchurch 6 75.57x
Leeds 6 1.31x
Middlesbrough 6 5.67x
Poole St James 6 29.66x
Sawtry St Judith 6 1000.00x
Whinfell 6 1224.49x
Woolwich 6 5.80x
Danby Commondale 5 561.80x
Egglescliffe 5 271.74x
Elham 5 149.70x
Manchester 5 1.14x
Milton 5 245.10x
Over Kellet 5 359.71x
Rievaulx 5 781.25x
St Michael Bassishaw 5 833.33x
West Newton Allonby 5 203.25x
Westminster St James 5 5.93x
Winslow 5 431.03x
Workington 5 12.36x
Beverley St Nicholas 4 59.97x
Bicester Market End 4 43.01x
East Wickham 4 120.48x
Esh 4 22.52x
Fulham London 4 3.36x
Lyneham 4 140.85x
New Malton 4 41.15x
Pickering 4 39.06x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 2.42x
St Giles In Fields London 4 9.94x
St Pancras London 4 0.61x
Stainmore 4 287.77x
Stayley 4 19.32x
Stockton On Tees 4 3.40x
Whitby 4 14.60x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 49
William 45
Thomas 30
George 28
James 26
Charles 22
Henry 17
Joseph 11
Robert 11
Alfred 9
Edward 9
Herbert 7
Arthur 6
Frederick 6
Samuel 6
Walter 6
Fred 5
Harry 5
Isaac 5
Christopher 4
Frank 4
Richard 4
Stephen 4
Adam 3
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Percy 3
Richd. 3
Wm. 3
Abraham 2
Albert 2
Alexander 2
Anthony 2
Christr. 2
Daniel 2
David 2
Hy. 2
Job 2
Oliver 2
Robt. 2
Roger 2
Charley 1
Chas. 1
Christ 1
Edmund 1
Elizabeth 1
Elmore 1
Jeremiah 1
Jonathan 1
Wm.D. 1

FAQ

Holiday surname: questions and answers

How common was the Holiday surname in 1881?

In 1881, 840 people were recorded with the Holiday surname. That placed it at #4,490 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Holiday surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 428 in 2016. That gives Holiday a modern rank of #11,234.

What does the Holiday surname mean?

Derived from the Old English word hāligdæg, referring to a holy day or religious festival.

What does the Holiday map show?

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