NameCensus.

UK surname

Hollaway

Derived from a place name meaning "hollow way," referring to a sunken path or road.

In the 1881 census there were 269 people recorded with the Hollaway surname, ranking it #10,506 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 118, ranked #27,873, down from #10,506 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Nonington, London parishes and Silkstone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tewkesbury, Hillingdon and Greenwich.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hollaway is 424 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 56.1%.

1881 census count

269

Ranked #10,506

Modern count

118

2016, ranked #27,873

Peak year

1861

424 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hollaway had 269 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,506 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 424 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Hollaway surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hollaway surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hollaway 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 331 #7,044
1861 historical 424 #6,061
1881 historical 269 #10,506
1891 historical 273 #11,918
1901 historical 241 #13,417
1911 historical 154 #17,553
1997 modern 128 #23,238
1998 modern 127 #23,940
1999 modern 128 #24,017
2000 modern 115 #25,591
2001 modern 108 #26,184
2002 modern 102 #27,596
2003 modern 97 #28,217
2004 modern 94 #28,896
2005 modern 92 #29,271
2006 modern 91 #29,725
2007 modern 99 #28,852
2008 modern 101 #28,825
2009 modern 104 #28,982
2010 modern 113 #28,162
2011 modern 106 #29,157
2012 modern 121 #26,829
2013 modern 121 #27,255
2014 modern 115 #28,439
2015 modern 115 #28,319
2016 modern 118 #27,873

Geography

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Where Hollaways are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Nonington, London parishes, Silkstone and Corfe Mullen. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tewkesbury, Hillingdon, Greenwich and Islington. 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 Nonington Kent
2 London parishes London 1
3 Silkstone Yorkshire, West Riding
4 London parishes London 3
5 Corfe Mullen Dorset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tewkesbury 004 Tewkesbury
2 Hillingdon 028 Hillingdon
3 Hillingdon 007 Hillingdon
4 Greenwich 021 Greenwich
5 Islington 009 Islington

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hollaway

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hollaway

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Hollaway surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Hollaway household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Hollaway is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hollaway 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

Hollaway 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 Hollaway is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hollaway

The surname Hollaway is of English origin and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is a habitational name derived from the Old English words "hol" meaning a hollow or sunken place, and "weg" meaning a road or way. Thus, the name refers to someone who lived near a sunken road or hollow way.

The name was first recorded in Oxfordshire, where it appeared as "de la Hollewey" in the Pipe Rolls of 1230. This early spelling suggests that the name originated from a specific place name, likely a hollow way or sunken road in that county.

In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, the name is listed as "Holeway" in Bedfordshire, indicating its spread across different regions of England during the medieval period. The variant spelling "Holloway" can be found in various records from the 14th century onwards.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was John Holloway, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327. Another notable bearer was Richard Holloway, a prominent merchant from Bristol, who lived in the late 15th century.

During the 16th century, the name appears to have been particularly concentrated in the counties of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, as evidenced by numerous parish records and wills from that period.

A famous figure was Robert Holloway, a renowned English clergyman and scholar who lived from 1533 to 1599. He served as the Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge, and was renowned for his writings on theology and philosophy.

Another notable individual was James Holloway, born in 1670, who was a successful businessman and landowner in Gloucestershire. He was involved in various philanthropic endeavors and contributed significantly to the development of his local community.

In the 18th century, Benjamin Holloway, born in 1729, was a prominent English physician and author. He published several influential works on medicine and medical education, and was a fellow of the Royal Society.

The Hollaway surname has also been associated with several place names, such as Holloway in London, which derives its name from the Old English "hol weg," meaning a hollow way or sunken road. Similarly, there are villages and hamlets named Holloway or Holloway's in various counties, reflecting the geographical origins of the name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hollaway families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hollaway 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. Kent leads with 58 Hollaways recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.45x.

County Total Index
Kent 58 6.45x
Surrey 34 2.65x
Devon 19 3.47x
Middlesex 17 0.65x
Sussex 11 2.48x
Wiltshire 11 4.72x
Dorset 10 5.79x
Hertfordshire 10 5.51x
Warwickshire 10 1.51x
Berkshire 9 4.55x
Staffordshire 9 1.01x
Durham 8 1.02x
Lancashire 8 0.26x
Worcestershire 8 2.33x
Norfolk 7 1.73x
Hampshire 6 1.11x
Buckinghamshire 5 3.14x
Lincolnshire 5 1.19x
Cheshire 4 0.69x
Essex 4 0.77x
Herefordshire 4 3.70x
Derbyshire 3 0.73x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.85x
Channel Islands 1 1.28x
Cornwall 1 0.34x
Glamorgan 1 0.22x
Gloucestershire 1 0.19x
Oxfordshire 1 0.61x
Shropshire 1 0.44x
Yorkshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Folkestone in Kent leads with 14 Hollaways recorded in 1881 and an index of 80.32x.

Place Total Index
Folkestone 14 80.32x
Canterbury St Gregory 12 1016.95x
Lambeth 11 4.79x
Sutton 10 107.76x
Birmingham 9 4.07x
Penge 8 47.56x
Brighton 7 7.81x
Corfe Mullen 7 1111.11x
Heanton Punchardon 7 1750.00x
Stockton On Tees 7 18.53x
Abbots Langley 6 222.22x
Chislet 6 588.24x
Donhead St Andrew 6 833.33x
Eythorne 6 1428.57x
Everton 5 5.02x
Feckenham 5 126.90x
St Marylebone London 5 3.56x
Dover St Mary Virgin 4 45.98x
Erith 4 45.20x
Great Yarmouth 4 11.93x
Harborne 4 14.04x
Herstmonceaux 4 298.51x
Newington 4 4.11x
Preston Next Faversham 4 189.57x
Remenham 4 714.29x
Shaugh Prior 4 634.92x
Spilsby 4 298.51x
Wolstanton Ranscliffe 4 1290.32x
Woodford 4 68.03x
Binfield 3 197.37x
Birkenhead 3 6.47x
Brixham 3 47.24x
Greenwich 3 7.15x
Kensington London 3 2.05x
Norwich St Stephen 3 80.65x
Plymouth St Andrew 3 7.10x
Radford 3 16.64x
St Albans St Michael 3 147.78x
Twickenham 3 26.57x
West Lavington 3 267.86x
Whittington 3 52.63x
Deptford St Paul 2 2.89x
Great Missenden 2 102.04x
Nonington 2 277.78x
Paddington London 2 2.07x
Ross 2 46.51x
St Luke London 2 4.73x
St Peter Colebrook 2 263.16x
Stony Stratford East 2 303.03x
Yardley 2 22.73x
Abingdon St Helen 1 17.30x
Aston 1 0.55x
Batley 1 4.03x
Blandford Forum 1 29.33x
Bridgnorth St Leonard 1 38.76x
Chester Holy Trinity 1 36.63x
Cradley 1 63.29x
Dudley 1 2.39x
East Stonehouse 1 9.26x
Henley On Thames 1 30.03x
Illogan 1 12.67x
Kingston On Thames 1 3.24x
Littleworth 1 200.00x
Llanwonno 1 6.07x
Lower Bullingham 1 232.56x
Over Hulton 1 112.36x
Poole St James 1 15.41x
Portsea 1 0.95x
Portsmouth 1 8.05x
Reading St Giles 1 5.16x
Rowde 1 93.46x
Sherborne 1 19.65x
Southampton St Mary 1 2.95x
St Pancras London 1 0.47x
St Sampson 1 28.41x
Standon 1 53.48x
Thornley 1 35.21x
Upton Cum Chalvey 1 15.77x
Walsall Foreign 1 2.18x
Warrington 1 2.70x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 16
Mary 15
Elizabeth 13
Eliza 6
Annie 4
Emily 4
Emma 4
Ann 3
Florence 3
Hannah 3
Kate 3
Lucy 3
Maria 3
Anne 2
Beatrice 2
Bridget 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Esther 2
Lousia 2
M.A. 2
Ruth 2
Susan 2
Catherin 1
Clara 1
Dora 1
E. 1
Ellen 1
Emmily 1
Ena 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Francis 1
Georgina 1
Gertie 1
Gertrude 1
Getsey 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Isabella 1
J. 1
Jane 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1
L. 1
Laura 1
Lilley 1
Lillie 1
Margaret 1
Marie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 17
William 15
Thomas 13
George 11
Charles 7
James 7
Albert 5
Alfred 5
Henry 5
Joseph 4
Samuel 3
Walter 3
Abraham 2
Edgar 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Harry 2
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
B.J. 1
C.E. 1
Edward 1
Etheldred 1
Felix 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
G. 1
Geo.W. 1
Horace 1
Hubert 1
Hugh 1
J.H. 1
Jabez 1
Jessie 1
Percival 1
Richard 1
Samuell 1
Soleoman 1
Squire 1
Sydney 1
Theodore 1
W. 1
Wilfred 1
Will 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Hollaway surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hollaway surname in 1881?

In 1881, 269 people were recorded with the Hollaway surname. That placed it at #10,506 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hollaway surname today?

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

What does the Hollaway surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "hollow way," referring to a sunken path or road.

What does the Hollaway map show?

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