NameCensus.

UK surname

Holliman

A surname of English origin, derived from a place name meaning "hollow man," likely referring to a thin man.

In the 1881 census there were 146 people recorded with the Holliman surname, ranking it #15,752 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 325, ranked #13,930, up from #15,752 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Kings Langley and Hemel Hempstead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sedgemoor, Dacorum and Three Rivers.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Holliman is 410 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 122.6%.

1881 census count

146

Ranked #15,752

Modern count

325

2016, ranked #13,930

Peak year

1998

410 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Holliman had 146 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,752 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 325 in 2016, ranked #13,930.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 294 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Holliman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Holliman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Holliman 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 65 #21,747
1861 historical 73 #24,492
1881 historical 146 #15,752
1891 historical 161 #17,473
1901 historical 235 #13,662
1911 historical 294 #11,622
1997 modern 409 #10,818
1998 modern 410 #11,143
1999 modern 401 #11,422
2000 modern 405 #11,290
2001 modern 397 #11,299
2002 modern 388 #11,689
2003 modern 362 #12,114
2004 modern 351 #12,422
2005 modern 344 #12,521
2006 modern 350 #12,448
2007 modern 343 #12,773
2008 modern 345 #12,839
2009 modern 350 #12,972
2010 modern 337 #13,580
2011 modern 345 #13,221
2012 modern 339 #13,271
2013 modern 344 #13,349
2014 modern 342 #13,498
2015 modern 328 #13,840
2016 modern 325 #13,930

Geography

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Where Hollimans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Kings Langley, Hemel Hempstead and Chesham (incl. Chartridge, Billington & Latimers with Waterside. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sedgemoor, Dacorum, Three Rivers and Central Bedfordshire. 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 Kings Langley Hertfordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Hemel Hempstead Hertfordshire
5 Chesham (incl. Chartridge, Billington & Latimers with Waterside Buckinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sedgemoor 004 Sedgemoor
2 Dacorum 015 Dacorum
3 Three Rivers 002 Three Rivers
4 Central Bedfordshire 030 Central Bedfordshire
5 Three Rivers 001 Three Rivers

Forenames

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First names often paired with Holliman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Holliman

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Holliman, 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 Holliman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Holliman 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

London Fringe

Within London, Holliman is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Holliman is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Holliman

The surname HOLLIMAN is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the northern English county of Yorkshire. It is thought to have derived from the Old English words 'hol' meaning 'hollow' and 'mann' meaning 'man'. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a hollow or valley.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname HOLLIMAN can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1301, where it appears as 'Holyman'. This spelling variation indicates that the name likely evolved from its original Old English roots over time.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the HOLLIMAN surname began to spread across various regions of England, with records showing individuals bearing the name in counties such as Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. This dispersion was likely due to migration and the establishment of new settlements.

In the late 15th century, a notable figure named John HOLLIMAN was recorded as a member of the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers in London. This guild played a significant role in the city's textile trade during that era, suggesting that John HOLLIMAN may have been a prosperous merchant or tradesman.

In the 17th century, the HOLLIMAN surname appears in various parish records and historical documents across England. For instance, Robert HOLLIMAN, born in 1625, was a renowned clockmaker and watchmaker based in London, whose work was highly sought after by the wealthy and aristocratic classes of his time.

Another noteworthy individual bearing the HOLLIMAN name was Thomas HOLLIMAN, born in 1689, who served as a British Army officer during the Nine Years' War and later fought in the War of the Spanish Succession. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and was commended for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.

In the 18th century, the HOLLIMAN surname continued to be found across various parts of England, with some individuals migrating to the American colonies and establishing new roots there. One such individual was William HOLLIMAN, born in 1745 in Yorkshire, who later settled in Virginia and became a prosperous landowner and farmer.

As time progressed, the HOLLIMAN surname continued to be represented across different professions and walks of life, from scholars and clergy members to artists and entrepreneurs. This demonstrates the rich and diverse history associated with this surname, spanning multiple centuries and regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Holliman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Holliman 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. Middlesex leads with 40 Hollimans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.81x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 40 2.81x
Hertfordshire 38 38.71x
Buckinghamshire 25 29.04x
Surrey 11 1.59x
Kent 9 1.85x
Bedfordshire 8 10.85x
Lancashire 8 0.47x
Gloucestershire 4 1.43x
Warwickshire 2 0.56x
Hampshire 1 0.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Berkhampstead in Hertfordshire leads with 14 Hollimans recorded in 1881 and an index of 633.48x.

Place Total Index
Berkhampstead 14 633.48x
Hemel Hempstead 12 271.49x
Kings Langley 11 1527.78x
Chesham 10 315.46x
Charlton Next Woolwich 9 177.51x
Hockliffe 8 5000.00x
St Marylebone London 8 10.52x
Chalfont St Giles 7 1129.03x
Chelsea London 7 16.31x
Everton 7 13.00x
St George Hanover Square 7 27.90x
Wycombe 7 109.03x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 17.45x
St Martin In Fields 5 58.62x
Stoke 5 152.91x
Kensington London 3 3.79x
West Dean 3 66.08x
Willesden 3 22.35x
Aston 2 2.02x
St George Bloomsbury 2 24.48x
St Pancras London 2 1.74x
Westminster St Margaret 2 29.11x
Aldershot 1 10.22x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.62x
Birkdale 1 23.36x
Lambeth 1 0.81x
Linslade 1 119.05x
St Albans St Stephen 1 116.28x
Westbury On Trym 1 10.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
James 8
William 8
Herbert 7
John 6
Arthur 5
George 5
Charles 4
Henry 4
Thomas 3
Alfred 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Jessie 2
Aaron 1
Abraham 1
Albert 1
Andrew 1
Daniel 1
Edgar 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Fredrk. 1
Hopton 1
Michael 1
Moses 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Holliman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Holliman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 146 people were recorded with the Holliman surname. That placed it at #15,752 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Holliman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 325 in 2016. That gives Holliman a modern rank of #13,930.

What does the Holliman surname mean?

A surname of English origin, derived from a place name meaning "hollow man," likely referring to a thin man.

What does the Holliman map show?

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