NameCensus.

UK surname

Hollister

A surname derived from a place name meaning "holly trees."

In the 1881 census there were 385 people recorded with the Hollister surname, ranking it #8,179 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 653, ranked #8,152, up from #8,179 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Swindon, Lyddington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rhondda Cynon Taf, Caerphilly and South Gloucestershire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hollister is 713 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 69.6%.

1881 census count

385

Ranked #8,179

Modern count

653

2016, ranked #8,152

Peak year

2002

713 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hollister had 385 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,179 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 653 in 2016, ranked #8,152.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 641 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hollister surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hollister surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hollister 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 249 #8,816
1861 historical 280 #8,953
1881 historical 385 #8,179
1891 historical 456 #7,996
1901 historical 541 #7,611
1911 historical 641 #6,510
1997 modern 688 #7,344
1998 modern 696 #7,505
1999 modern 703 #7,488
2000 modern 696 #7,523
2001 modern 680 #7,524
2002 modern 713 #7,404
2003 modern 676 #7,608
2004 modern 690 #7,498
2005 modern 674 #7,569
2006 modern 666 #7,659
2007 modern 667 #7,718
2008 modern 666 #7,769
2009 modern 685 #7,771
2010 modern 681 #7,943
2011 modern 683 #7,840
2012 modern 671 #7,869
2013 modern 683 #7,886
2014 modern 671 #8,046
2015 modern 663 #8,063
2016 modern 653 #8,152

Geography

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Where Hollisters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Swindon, Lyddington, London parishes and St Philip and Jacob. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rhondda Cynon Taf, Caerphilly, South Gloucestershire, Vale of White Horse and West Berkshire. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Swindon, Lyddington Wiltshire
4 London parishes London 1
5 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rhondda Cynon Taf 008 Rhondda Cynon Taf
2 Caerphilly 002 Caerphilly
3 South Gloucestershire 003 South Gloucestershire
4 Vale of White Horse 014 Vale of White Horse
5 West Berkshire 021 West Berkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hollister

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hollister

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Hollister 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

Hollister 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

Hollister 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 Hollister is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hollister

The surname Hollister is of English origin, derived from the Old English words 'hol' meaning 'hollow' and 'ster' meaning 'a place'. It is a locational name that referred to someone who lived near a hollow or sunken area of land.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century in various counties across England, including Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Oxfordshire. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Ralph de Hollostr, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1275.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several entries that may be related to the Hollister name, such as 'Holehest' in Suffolk and 'Holesterne' in Devon.

The name has also been associated with various place names, such as Hollister in Berkshire and Holster in Gloucestershire. These place names likely derived from the same Old English roots as the surname, further reinforcing the locational origin of the name.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname Hollister. One of the earliest was John Hollister (c. 1612-1665), who was one of the founders of Wethersfield, Connecticut, and served as a deputy to the General Court of Connecticut.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Gideon Hollister (1619-1692), who was a colonial magistrate and one of the founders of Glastonbury, Connecticut. His son, Stephen Hollister (1647-1720), was a militia captain during King Philip's War and later served as a deacon in the Congregational Church.

In the 19th century, George Hollister (1818-1900) was a noted businessman and philanthropist from Connecticut. He co-founded the Hollister Brothers Woolen Mills and donated funds for the construction of several public buildings in his hometown.

One of the most famous individuals with the Hollister surname was John Chipman Hollister (1819-1886), an American educator and author who served as the president of several universities, including Beaver College and the Illinois State Normal University.

Another notable figure was Ovando James Hollister (1826-1886), a Union Army officer during the American Civil War who fought in several major battles, including the Battle of Shiloh and the Siege of Vicksburg.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hollister families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hollister 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. Gloucestershire leads with 167 Hollisters recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.79x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 167 22.79x
Middlesex 47 1.26x
Wiltshire 45 13.62x
Somerset 30 4.99x
Berkshire 23 8.20x
Glamorgan 17 2.61x
Monmouthshire 13 4.81x
Cheshire 7 0.85x
Staffordshire 7 0.56x
Lancashire 6 0.14x
Hampshire 5 0.65x
Sussex 4 0.64x
Durham 3 0.27x
Cornwall 2 0.47x
Kent 2 0.16x
Royal Navy 2 4.49x
Surrey 2 0.11x
Devon 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Winterbourne in Gloucestershire leads with 37 Hollisters recorded in 1881 and an index of 913.58x.

Place Total Index
Winterbourne 37 913.58x
Mangotsfield 33 452.05x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 19 27.54x
Kensington London 19 9.15x
Bedminster 16 28.31x
Wotton Under Edge 15 347.22x
Chilton Foliat 14 1944.44x
Swindon 12 46.82x
Frampton Cotterell 9 350.19x
Westerleigh 9 548.78x
Wroughton 9 314.69x
Cheadle 7 44.44x
Chelsea London 7 6.22x
Merthyr Tydfil 7 11.20x
Ystradyfodwg 7 12.27x
Bristol St George 6 17.70x
Clayton Le Moors 6 69.77x
Froxfield 6 1071.43x
Hungerford 6 158.31x
Ogbourne St George 6 967.74x
Ramsbury 6 200.67x
Bristol Christchurch 5 471.70x
Christchurch 5 59.88x
East Woodhay 5 255.10x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 5 37.29x
St Botolph Aldgate London 5 65.02x
Stoke Upon Trent 5 3.74x
Acton 4 18.26x
Bath St James 4 63.80x
Bristol St James St Paul 4 16.37x
Bristol St Paul In 4 20.49x
Clifton 4 10.80x
Llanvihangel Llantarnam 4 77.67x
Bath St Peter St Paul 3 112.78x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 3 44.98x
Cheltenham 3 5.31x
Llantwit Vairdre 3 41.04x
Reading St Giles 3 10.91x
St George Hanover Square 3 4.56x
Westoe 3 4.76x
Winford 3 247.93x
Brighton 2 1.57x
Devizes St John 2 80.65x
Gravesend 2 18.54x
Handsworth 2 6.44x
Highworth 2 47.39x
Madron Penzance 2 13.00x
Olveston 2 97.09x
Royal Navy 2 5.26x
Shoreditch London 2 1.23x
Abergavenny 1 9.89x
Almondsbury 1 35.71x
Bitton 1 15.67x
Bitton Oldland 1 13.35x
Blagdon 1 78.74x
Bristol St Augustine 1 8.46x
Calne 1 14.71x
Chepstow 1 21.74x
Chiswick 1 4.90x
Cirencester 1 10.08x
Clevedon 1 16.00x
Devonport 1 11.19x
Ealing 1 2.99x
Eastbourne 1 3.45x
Hammersmith London 1 1.09x
Hastings St Mary 1 6.38x
Lyncombe Widcombe 1 6.35x
Maiseyhampton 1 232.56x
Mynyddyslwyn 1 9.39x
Portbury 1 100.00x
Portskewett 1 158.73x
Quenington 1 204.08x
Southwark Christchurch 1 5.71x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 1.33x
St Anne Soho London 1 4.69x
St Marylebone London 1 0.50x
St Pancras London 1 0.33x
Trowbridge 1 6.85x
Westbury On Trym 1 4.03x
Westminster St James 1 2.60x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 29
Elizabeth 12
Sarah 12
Ellen 9
Emily 9
Jane 8
Annie 6
Clara 6
Alice 5
Ann 5
Fanny 5
Louisa 5
Emma 4
Harriett 4
Martha 4
Ada 3
Harriet 3
Julia 3
Kate 3
Lucy 3
Bessie 2
Edith 2
Eleanor 2
Esther 2
Hannah 2
Maria 2
Bella 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Christianna 1
Deborah 1
Effie 1
Elinor 1
Eliza 1
Elizath. 1
Georgina 1
Helen 1
Hester 1
Isabella 1
J. 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1
Leah 1
Lilian 1
Mabel 1
Maliney 1
Maud 1
Minne 1
Peggie 1
Phoebe 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 29
John 21
George 17
Charles 13
Thomas 12
Henry 9
Alfred 6
James 6
Albert 5
Edwin 5
Robert 5
Arthur 4
Joseph 4
Richard 4
Edward 3
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Jacob 3
Stephen 3
Walter 3
David 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Isaac 2
Samuel 2
Tom 2
W. 2
Young 2
Allen 1
Augustus 1
Charley 1
Chas.Robt. 1
Christopher 1
Earnest 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Gilbert 1
Herbert 1
Hermon 1
Job 1
Joe 1
Jonathan 1
Joshua 1
Louis 1
Luke 1
Oliver 1
Richd 1
Sam 1
Sidney 1
Stanley 1

FAQ

Hollister surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hollister surname in 1881?

In 1881, 385 people were recorded with the Hollister surname. That placed it at #8,179 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hollister surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 653 in 2016. That gives Hollister a modern rank of #8,152.

What does the Hollister surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name meaning "holly trees."

What does the Hollister map show?

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