NameCensus.

UK surname

Holland

An English toponymic surname indicating a person from the region of Holland in the Netherlands or in England.

In the 1881 census there were 21,300 people recorded with the Holland surname, ranking it #166 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 29,918, ranked #181, down from #166 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Charnwood, Boston and Bolsover.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Holland is 31,183 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.5%.

1881 census count

21,300

Ranked #166

Modern count

29,918

2016, ranked #181

Peak year

1999

31,183 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Holland had 21,300 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #166 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 29,918 in 2016, ranked #181.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 28,395 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Holland surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Holland surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Holland 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 13,293 #178
1861 historical 14,305 #171
1881 historical 21,300 #166
1891 historical 22,796 #165
1901 historical 25,926 #177
1911 historical 28,395 #136
1997 modern 29,677 #179
1998 modern 30,877 #178
1999 modern 31,183 #177
2000 modern 30,885 #179
2001 modern 30,060 #180
2002 modern 30,667 #179
2003 modern 29,844 #181
2004 modern 29,819 #179
2005 modern 29,267 #181
2006 modern 29,249 #181
2007 modern 29,504 #182
2008 modern 29,629 #181
2009 modern 30,406 #180
2010 modern 30,891 #181
2011 modern 30,418 #181
2012 modern 29,718 #181
2013 modern 30,387 #181
2014 modern 30,471 #181
2015 modern 30,119 #181
2016 modern 29,918 #181

Geography

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Where Hollands are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, St Pancras and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Charnwood, Boston, Bolsover and Purbeck. 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 1
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Charnwood 007 Charnwood
2 Boston 002 Boston
3 Charnwood 002 Charnwood
4 Bolsover 007 Bolsover
5 Purbeck 003 Purbeck

Forenames

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First names often paired with Holland

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Holland

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

Holland 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

Holland falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Holland

The surname Holland is of English origin and is derived from the Old English word "hol" meaning "hollow" or "hole" and "land" meaning "land" or "estate." It is believed that the name originally referred to someone who lived in a hollow or depression in the landscape, or near a hole or small valley.

The name can be traced back to the 13th century, with one of the earliest recorded instances being that of William de Holand, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1273. The Assize Rolls were legal records of criminal cases and property disputes in medieval England.

During the Middle Ages, the surname was often spelled with various variations, such as Hollond, Holond, and Holande. These spelling variations were common due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions at the time.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, which were records of taxes and financial accounts. One entry from 1379 mentions a John de Holand, who was likely a landowner or tenant in the region.

The surname gained prominence in the 15th century, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One of the most famous was John Holland, 1st Duke of Exeter (1352-1400), who was a prominent military commander and member of the English nobility during the reign of King Richard II.

Another notable figure was Philemon Holland (1552-1637), an English translator and schoolmaster who was renowned for his translations of classical works, including those of Pliny the Elder, Livy, and Xenophon.

In the 16th century, the surname was associated with the Holland family, who were prominent landowners and politicians in Lincolnshire. One member of this family was Henry Holland (1556-1625), who served as a member of parliament and was involved in the establishment of several Protestant churches.

Other notable individuals with the surname Holland include Joseph Holland (1824-1881), an English painter and illustrator known for his landscapes and genre scenes, and Phillis Holland (1919-2018), an American civil rights activist and educator who played a significant role in the desegregation of public schools in Baltimore.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Holland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Holland 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. Lancashire leads with 4,457 Hollands recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.81x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 4,457 1.81x
Middlesex 2,279 1.10x
Cheshire 1,653 3.60x
Surrey 1,283 1.27x
Yorkshire 1,258 0.61x
Staffordshire 1,230 1.75x
Nottinghamshire 765 2.73x
Kent 621 0.88x
Warwickshire 591 1.13x
Derbyshire 538 1.65x
Lincolnshire 530 1.59x
Hampshire 379 0.89x
Sussex 379 1.08x
Leicestershire 376 1.63x
Devon 322 0.74x
Essex 306 0.75x
Worcestershire 305 1.12x
Durham 275 0.44x
Somerset 263 0.79x
Gloucestershire 260 0.64x
Buckinghamshire 243 1.93x
Norfolk 232 0.73x
Oxfordshire 220 1.71x
Shropshire 215 1.20x
Glamorgan 192 0.53x
Suffolk 188 0.74x
Northumberland 181 0.58x
Northamptonshire 148 0.76x
Dorset 144 1.06x
Lanarkshire 129 0.19x
Monmouthshire 119 0.79x
Bedfordshire 112 1.04x
Berkshire 107 0.69x
Cambridgeshire 106 0.80x
Hertfordshire 103 0.72x
Ayrshire 100 0.64x
Herefordshire 100 1.17x
Flintshire 92 1.65x
Wiltshire 84 0.46x
Denbighshire 54 0.69x
Midlothian 48 0.17x
Cornwall 40 0.17x
Westmorland 31 0.68x
Cumberland 30 0.17x
Renfrewshire 24 0.15x
Channel Islands 21 0.34x
Angus 17 0.09x
Dunbartonshire 16 0.29x
Stirlingshire 15 0.20x
Isle of Man 12 0.31x
Wigtownshire 12 0.43x
Caernarfonshire 11 0.13x
Orkney 11 0.48x
Royal Navy 10 0.40x
West Lothian 9 0.29x
Huntingdonshire 8 0.19x
Pembrokeshire 8 0.12x
Perthshire 8 0.09x
Fife 7 0.06x
Montgomeryshire 7 0.15x
Aberdeenshire 5 0.03x
Carmarthenshire 5 0.06x
Selkirkshire 5 0.27x
Berwickshire 4 0.16x
Rutland 3 0.20x
Anglesey 2 0.05x
Brecknockshire 2 0.05x
East Lothian 2 0.07x
Inverness-shire 2 0.03x
Roxburghshire 2 0.05x
Argyllshire 1 0.02x
Cardiganshire 1 0.02x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.02x
Radnorshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Manchester in Lancashire leads with 321 Hollands recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.89x.

Place Total Index
Manchester 321 2.89x
Lambeth 222 1.22x
Birmingham 205 1.17x
Islington London 205 1.02x
Wigan 200 5.80x
St Pancras London 199 1.19x
Camberwell 192 1.45x
Aston 191 1.32x
Nottingham St Mary 175 2.41x
Macclesfield 161 7.89x
Oldham 157 1.97x
Liverpool 154 1.03x
Salford 150 2.07x
Kensington London 133 1.15x
Portsea 126 1.51x
Bethnal Green London 124 1.37x
Preston 118 1.79x
Newington 117 1.52x
Stoke Upon Trent 117 1.57x
Ashton Under Lyne 116 2.15x
St Marylebone London 114 1.03x
Leicester St Margaret 113 2.01x
Bermondsey 112 1.81x
Stockport 111 4.70x
Hackney London 108 0.93x
Padiham 104 17.44x
West Bromwich 89 2.21x
Everton 88 1.12x
Sheffield 88 1.34x
Wednesbury 88 5.02x
Battersea 85 1.11x
Ecclesall Bierlow 84 2.00x
St George Hanover Square 82 2.24x
Wolstanton 81 3.80x
Chelsea London 80 1.28x
Croydon 80 1.42x
Hulme 79 1.53x
Mile End Old Town London 78 1.76x
Pilkington 78 8.32x
Southwark St George Martyr 78 1.86x
Brightside Bierlow 77 1.90x
Paddington London 75 0.98x
Great Bolton 74 2.26x
Habergham Eaves 73 3.24x
Dukinfield 72 3.39x
Cheetham 71 3.86x
Ince In Makerfield 71 6.18x
Broughton In Salford 68 3.01x
West Ham 68 0.75x
Hyde 67 4.95x
Shoreditch London 66 0.73x
Toxteth Park 66 0.79x
Barton Upon Irwell 64 3.44x
Chorlton On Medlock 64 1.63x
Pendleton In Salford 63 2.14x
West Derby 63 0.87x
Sutton In Macclesfield 62 13.01x
Tipton 62 2.88x
Wolverhampton 62 1.15x
Standish With Langtree 60 19.74x
Gotham 59 80.78x
Blackburn 58 0.88x
Newark Upon Trent 58 5.76x
Radcliffe 56 4.71x
Clerkenwell London 55 1.12x
Bury 54 1.92x
Ardwick 52 2.34x
Walsall Foreign 52 1.43x
Biddulph 50 12.62x
Deptford St Paul 49 0.90x
Dudley 49 1.48x
Limehouse London 49 2.15x
St George In East London 49 2.50x
Westminster St John 49 1.93x
Brighton 48 0.68x
Pelsall 48 23.00x
Snenton 48 4.36x
Audley 47 6.77x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 47 11.50x
Windle 45 3.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1,551
Sarah 796
Elizabeth 787
Ann 422
Jane 405
Ellen 368
Alice 340
Eliza 328
Emma 314
Annie 286
Hannah 264
Margaret 251
Emily 218
Martha 212
Harriet 156
Fanny 127
Catherine 119
Maria 119
Louisa 115
Caroline 110
Charlotte 105
Clara 98
Edith 96
Kate 96
Lucy 88
Ada 86
Anne 85
Florence 84
Frances 84
Susan 59
Agnes 58
Esther 58
Harriett 58
Susannah 48
Julia 46
Matilda 46
Rebecca 46
Isabella 45
Rose 44
Gertrude 43
Amelia 42
Elizth. 42
Jessie 39
Lydia 38
Sophia 38
Amy 37
Eleanor 37
Laura 32
Betsy 31
Grace 31

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 1,332
William 1,303
James 776
Thomas 725
George 671
Henry 492
Joseph 414
Charles 355
Edward 211
Robert 208
Alfred 205
Richard 190
Samuel 176
Arthur 169
Frederick 158
Walter 144
Albert 139
Harry 118
Frank 92
David 88
Herbert 85
Ernest 80
Edwin 63
Wm. 59
Francis 57
Peter 55
Daniel 53
Thos. 49
Fred 41
Benjamin 36
Isaac 36
Geo. 35
Michael 34
Patrick 34
Ralph 31
Stephen 25
Alexander 23
Tom 22
Edmund 21
Philip 21
Hugh 20
Percy 20
Matthew 19
Enoch 18
Job 18
Willm. 17
Fredk. 16
Jno. 16
Phillip 16
Sydney 16

FAQ

Holland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Holland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 21,300 people were recorded with the Holland surname. That placed it at #166 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Holland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 29,918 in 2016. That gives Holland a modern rank of #181.

What does the Holland surname mean?

An English toponymic surname indicating a person from the region of Holland in the Netherlands or in England.

What does the Holland map show?

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