NameCensus.

UK surname

Holling

An English surname derived from a place name or topographic feature related to a hill or hollow.

In the 1881 census there were 306 people recorded with the Holling surname, ranking it #9,586 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 373, ranked #12,515, down from #9,586 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Cawthorne, Silkstone and Darfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley and Wakefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Holling is 452 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.9%.

1881 census count

306

Ranked #9,586

Modern count

373

2016, ranked #12,515

Peak year

1911

452 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Holling had 306 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,586 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 373 in 2016, ranked #12,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 452 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Holling surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Holling surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Holling 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 129 #14,406
1861 historical 406 #6,320
1881 historical 306 #9,586
1891 historical 310 #10,812
1901 historical 349 #10,457
1911 historical 452 #8,476
1997 modern 383 #11,359
1998 modern 394 #11,474
1999 modern 399 #11,463
2000 modern 398 #11,443
2001 modern 388 #11,459
2002 modern 395 #11,542
2003 modern 391 #11,441
2004 modern 375 #11,820
2005 modern 379 #11,662
2006 modern 382 #11,626
2007 modern 380 #11,820
2008 modern 385 #11,828
2009 modern 377 #12,269
2010 modern 370 #12,701
2011 modern 358 #12,883
2012 modern 347 #13,048
2013 modern 368 #12,676
2014 modern 364 #12,876
2015 modern 369 #12,627
2016 modern 373 #12,515

Geography

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Where Hollings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Cawthorne, Silkstone, Darfield, Sheffield and Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnsley and Wakefield. 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 Cawthorne Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Silkstone Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Darfield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnsley 018 Barnsley
2 Barnsley 016 Barnsley
3 Barnsley 019 Barnsley
4 Barnsley 017 Barnsley
5 Wakefield 041 Wakefield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Holling

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Holling

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Holling 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

Holling is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Holling

The surname Holling is of Anglo-Saxon origin, tracing its roots back to the counties of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire in England during the 8th and 9th centuries. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "hol" meaning a hollow or sunken area, and "inga" denoting a resident or dweller, suggesting that the original bearers of this name resided in or near a hollow or valley.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Hollinge" and "Hollinges". This entry refers to landowners and tenants in various locations across Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, indicating the name's widespread presence in these regions during the Norman Conquest.

The Holling surname has evolved over the centuries, with various spellings such as Hollinge, Holling, Hollinge, and Hollings appearing in historical records. Some notable individuals bearing this name include Robert Holling, a 14th-century landowner in Yorkshire, and John Holling, a merchant from Lincolnshire who was mentioned in the borough records of Boston in the late 15th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Holling family established themselves in various parts of England, with branches settling in counties like Lancashire, Derbyshire, and Cheshire. One prominent figure from this period was William Holling (1593-1672), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Lancashire who served as the Mayor of Preston in 1655.

In the 18th century, the Holling surname gained further recognition with the birth of John Holling (1738-1812), a renowned botanist and naturalist from Yorkshire. He made significant contributions to the study of British flora and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1783.

Another notable individual was Thomas Holling (1756-1844), a successful industrialist and entrepreneur from Derbyshire who played a crucial role in the development of the cotton industry during the Industrial Revolution. He established several textile mills and was recognized for his innovative business practices.

As the British Empire expanded, the Holling name spread to various corners of the world, with descendants settling in countries like Australia, Canada, and the United States. One such individual was Charles Holling (1920-2019), a renowned Canadian ecologist and pioneer in the field of ecological resilience, who made significant contributions to our understanding of complex adaptive systems.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Holling families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Holling 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 212 Hollings recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.24x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 212 7.24x
Durham 15 1.71x
Leicestershire 15 4.58x
Middlesex 15 0.51x
Hampshire 10 1.65x
Worcestershire 9 2.33x
Derbyshire 4 0.86x
Shropshire 4 1.57x
Kent 3 0.30x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.75x
Surrey 3 0.21x
Lancashire 2 0.06x
Staffordshire 2 0.20x
Warwickshire 2 0.27x
Cornwall 1 0.30x
Devon 1 0.16x
Dorset 1 0.52x
Gloucestershire 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barnsley in Yorkshire leads with 58 Hollings recorded in 1881 and an index of 191.99x.

Place Total Index
Barnsley 58 191.99x
Worsbrough 34 396.27x
Cawthorne In Wortley 17 1440.68x
Wath On Dearne 13 222.60x
Ecclesfield 10 46.58x
Rawmarsh 10 96.62x
Shanklin 10 555.56x
Tanfield 10 95.60x
Oldbury 9 47.39x
Mexborough 7 120.48x
Bradfield 6 53.14x
Dodworth 6 197.37x
Rotherham 6 36.34x
Tankersley 6 275.23x
Barkby 5 781.25x
Edmondthorpe 5 2380.95x
Hoyland Nether 5 69.64x
Syston 5 162.87x
Bradford 4 5.64x
Heanor 4 57.80x
Hipperholme Cum 4 31.08x
Nether Hallam 4 10.10x
Quatford 4 2000.00x
St Giles In Fields London 4 27.59x
St Pancras London 4 1.68x
Stranton 4 13.51x
Nottingham St Mary 3 2.91x
Sculcoates 3 6.46x
Stansfield 3 27.83x
Thurgoland 3 151.52x
York St Margaret 3 164.84x
Birmingham 2 0.81x
Lambeth 2 0.78x
Maidstone 2 6.66x
Sedgley 2 5.40x
Shoreditch London 2 1.56x
St Marylebone London 2 1.27x
Stainbrough 2 370.37x
Warrington 2 4.81x
Bowling 1 3.45x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 1.83x
Bromley London 1 1.54x
Chelsea London 1 1.12x
Frensham 1 47.39x
Gateshead 1 1.52x
Gillingham 1 4.81x
Headingley Cum Burley 1 5.31x
Huddersfield 1 2.34x
Islington London 1 0.35x
Manningham 1 2.77x
Newall Cum Clifton 1 270.27x
Portland 1 9.59x
Sheffield 1 1.07x
Silkstone 1 68.97x
St Neot 1 75.76x
Tormoham 1 3.84x
Wombwell 1 11.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
George 18
William 18
Thomas 16
John 13
Charles 7
Joseph 6
Arthur 5
Walter 5
Albert 4
Alfred 4
Edward 4
Henry 4
James 3
Anthony 2
Earnest 2
Ellis 2
Fred 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Absalom 1
Alfd. 1
Amos 1
Andrew 1
Archie 1
Arnold 1
Asher 1
Christopher 1
E. 1
Edgar 1
Ernest 1
Fredick 1
G. 1
Geo. 1
Hereward 1
Jabyas 1
Jas. 1
Jesse 1
Jonathan 1
Leonard 1
Lewis 1
Luther 1
Martin 1
Matthias 1
Richard 1
Riley 1
Solomon 1
Theophilus 1
Verden 1

FAQ

Holling surname: questions and answers

How common was the Holling surname in 1881?

In 1881, 306 people were recorded with the Holling surname. That placed it at #9,586 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Holling surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 373 in 2016. That gives Holling a modern rank of #12,515.

What does the Holling surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name or topographic feature related to a hill or hollow.

What does the Holling map show?

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