NameCensus.

UK surname

Holifield

Likely derived from a place name meaning "holly field," referring to a field where holly trees grow.

In the 1881 census there were 62 people recorded with the Holifield surname, ranking it #24,843 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 171, ranked #21,726, up from #24,843 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Abingdon St Helen, Abingdon St Nicholas, Ensham and Gelligaer. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Oxfordshire, Caerphilly and Vale of White Horse.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Holifield is 188 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 175.8%.

1881 census count

62

Ranked #24,843

Modern count

171

2016, ranked #21,726

Peak year

1999

188 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Holifield had 62 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,843 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 171 in 2016, ranked #21,726.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 129 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Holifield surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Holifield surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Holifield 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 32 #27,570
1861 historical 45 #28,296
1881 historical 62 #24,843
1891 historical 66 #28,541
1901 historical 101 #22,726
1911 historical 129 #19,577
1997 modern 105 #26,188
1998 modern 171 #19,956
1999 modern 188 #18,931
2000 modern 177 #19,634
2001 modern 179 #19,215
2002 modern 184 #19,275
2003 modern 187 #18,856
2004 modern 187 #18,993
2005 modern 185 #19,051
2006 modern 182 #19,402
2007 modern 180 #19,745
2008 modern 180 #19,946
2009 modern 173 #20,869
2010 modern 180 #20,812
2011 modern 185 #20,288
2012 modern 178 #20,758
2013 modern 181 #20,879
2014 modern 179 #21,186
2015 modern 175 #21,372
2016 modern 171 #21,726

Geography

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Where Holifields are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Abingdon St Helen, Abingdon St Nicholas, Ensham, Gelligaer, Farringdon, Great and Appleton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Oxfordshire, Caerphilly and Vale of White Horse. 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 Abingdon St Helen, Abingdon St Nicholas Berkshire
2 Ensham Oxfordshire
3 Gelligaer Glamorganshire
4 Farringdon, Great Berkshire
5 Appleton Berkshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Oxfordshire 007 West Oxfordshire
2 Caerphilly 002 Caerphilly
3 West Oxfordshire 006 West Oxfordshire
4 West Oxfordshire 015 West Oxfordshire
5 Vale of White Horse 008 Vale of White Horse

Forenames

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First names often paired with Holifield

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Holifield

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

Holifield is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Holifield falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Holifield 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 Holifield, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Holifield

The surname Holifield originated in England, specifically in the region of Yorkshire, during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "hol" meaning "hollow" or "hollow place" and "feld" meaning "field." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near or owned land containing a hollow or low-lying field.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Holifield can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, which lists a "Willelmus de Holifeld." This document provides evidence that the name was already in use by the late 14th century in the region.

The Holifield surname also appears in various historical records and manuscripts from the 16th and 17th centuries. For example, the Parish Register of Ecclesfield, Yorkshire, contains entries for the baptism of "Elizabeth Holifeld" in 1588 and the marriage of "John Holifeld" in 1624.

Among the notable individuals bearing the Holifield surname throughout history is Sir William Holifield (1582-1648), a member of the English gentry who served as a Justice of the Peace and High Sheriff of Yorkshire during the reign of King Charles I.

Another prominent figure was Robert Holifield (1712-1785), a wealthy landowner and philanthropist from Derbyshire, who donated a significant portion of his estate to establish the Holifield School for underprivileged children.

In the 19th century, Emily Holifield (1835-1911) gained recognition as a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded the Holifield Academy for Girls in London, which became renowned for its progressive curriculum and emphasis on academic excellence.

The name Holifield also has ties to the town of Holifield in West Yorkshire, which likely derived its name from the Old English words "hol" and "feld," similar to the surname itself. This place name can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, which records it as "Holefelde."

Lastly, it is worth mentioning John Holifield (1897-1972), a prominent British artist and sculptor whose works were widely exhibited in galleries across Europe and the United States during the mid-20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Holifield families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Holifield 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. Berkshire leads with 18 Holifields recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.66x.

County Total Index
Berkshire 18 39.66x
Oxfordshire 18 48.21x
Glamorgan 10 9.50x
Monmouthshire 9 20.59x
Kent 5 2.42x
Middlesex 2 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. Gelligaer in Glamorgan leads with 10 Holifields recorded in 1881 and an index of 416.67x.

Place Total Index
Gelligaer 10 416.67x
Appleton 9 7500.00x
Bedwellty 9 116.58x
Ensham 6 3157.89x
Eynsham 6 2500.00x
Beckenham 5 185.19x
Great Faringdon 5 769.23x
Fyfield 4 5714.29x
Ducklington 3 3333.33x
Shipton Under Wychwood 2 833.33x
Kensington London 1 2.97x
Kidlington 1 344.83x
St Marylebone London 1 3.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 3
Ann 2
Charlotte 2
Fanny 2
Ada 1
Annie 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Emma 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Henrietta 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1
Martha 1
Mary 1
Millicent 1
Rozeinor 1
Sabiah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 5
John 3
Samuel 3
Charles 2
Eli 2
Frank 2
George 2
James 2
Richard 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Ed.J. 1
Edmund 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Horace 1
Mark 1
Robert 1

FAQ

Holifield surname: questions and answers

How common was the Holifield surname in 1881?

In 1881, 62 people were recorded with the Holifield surname. That placed it at #24,843 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Holifield surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 171 in 2016. That gives Holifield a modern rank of #21,726.

What does the Holifield surname mean?

Likely derived from a place name meaning "holly field," referring to a field where holly trees grow.

What does the Holifield map show?

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