NameCensus.

UK surname

Hollyer

A surname derived from an occupational name for a tiler or thatcher.

In the 1881 census there were 105 people recorded with the Hollyer surname, ranking it #19,183 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 152, ranked #23,516, down from #19,183 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Plumstead, Richmond and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ashford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hollyer is 170 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 44.8%.

1881 census count

105

Ranked #19,183

Modern count

152

2016, ranked #23,516

Peak year

1911

170 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hollyer had 105 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,183 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 152 in 2016, ranked #23,516.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 170 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hollyer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hollyer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hollyer 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 88 #18,569
1861 historical 124 #17,797
1881 historical 105 #19,183
1891 historical 136 #19,601
1901 historical 169 #16,824
1911 historical 170 #16,510
1997 modern 165 #19,861
1998 modern 165 #20,423
1999 modern 164 #20,621
2000 modern 153 #21,520
2001 modern 152 #21,294
2002 modern 139 #22,991
2003 modern 149 #21,766
2004 modern 138 #22,997
2005 modern 145 #22,253
2006 modern 149 #22,013
2007 modern 146 #22,596
2008 modern 152 #22,225
2009 modern 149 #23,031
2010 modern 158 #22,692
2011 modern 153 #22,996
2012 modern 148 #23,457
2013 modern 148 #23,884
2014 modern 157 #23,101
2015 modern 153 #23,413
2016 modern 152 #23,516

Geography

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Where Hollyers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Plumstead, Richmond, London parishes, Lambeth and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ashford. 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 Plumstead London (South Districts)
2 Richmond Surrey
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ashford 002 Ashford
2 Ashford 007 Ashford
3 Ashford 004 Ashford
4 Ashford 013 Ashford
5 Ashford 008 Ashford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hollyer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hollyer

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Hollyer is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hollyer is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Hollyer

The surname Hollyer originates from England and dates back to the medieval period. It is particularly associated with the southern counties, especially those around London and Surrey. Derived from the Old English phrase "holgh ier" which means "dweller by the holly tree or bush," the name is deeply intertwined with a landscape where holly trees were abundant and served as notable landmarks.

The earliest known forms of the surname Hollyer appear in various records such as tax rolls and land charters from the 13th and 14th centuries. One of the first documented instances occurs in the Subsidy Rolls of Surrey in 1332, where a William Holyere appears. Several variations of the name, including Hollier and Holyer, have been documented, showing the fluidity of medieval spelling conventions.

Historical manuscripts such as the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1388 mention a John Holyere, another early bearer of the surname. This indicates that the name had some geographical spread within England by the late 14th century. The consistent appearance of similar spellings in legal documents, including court rolls and wills, helps trace the lineage and migration patterns of those carrying the name.

One notable figure bearing the surname Hollyer is Samuel Palmer Hollyer, a well-known engraver born in 1826 and died in 1919. His works contributed significantly to the field of illustration and printmaking in the 19th century. Similarly, Edith Emily Hollyer, an early proponent of women's rights, was born in 1875 and played a key role in the suffragette movement in England.

Another important person is John Hollyer, recorded as a landowner in the 1592 Visitation of Somerset. His lineage contributed to the expansion of the family name into other parts of the country. Nathaniel Hollyer, born in 1770, made a name as a local jurist in Sussex, reflecting the family's continued prominence over generations.

Emily Hollyer, an artist born in 1891, left a legacy in the arts world, with works exhibited in several early 20th-century galleries across England. Her contributions echo the creative spirit found in other members of the Hollyer family. These examples illustrate the name's longstanding association with notable contributions to society in various regions and periods.

While the surname Hollyer is not exceedingly common, its bearers have managed to leave significant marks in historical records and through their professional achievements. This rich heritage makes the surname a fascinating study in the etymology and migration of English surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hollyer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hollyer 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 30 Hollyers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.93x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 30 2.93x
Surrey 18 3.61x
Kent 12 3.43x
Caernarfonshire 10 24.15x
Hampshire 10 4.76x
Sussex 9 5.21x
Buckinghamshire 7 11.30x
Warwickshire 4 1.55x
Glamorgan 2 1.12x
Cheshire 1 0.44x
Gloucestershire 1 0.50x
Lancashire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 18 Hollyers recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.15x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 18 20.15x
Bettws Y Coed 10 3703.70x
Plumstead 9 77.25x
Islington London 8 8.06x
St Sepulchre London 8 533.33x
Brighton 6 17.22x
Aldershot 5 71.12x
Carisbrooke 5 171.82x
Aston 4 5.62x
Hanslope 3 535.71x
Isleworth 3 65.93x
Kensington London 3 5.27x
Linslade 3 491.80x
Ramsgate 3 52.63x
St Pancras London 3 3.64x
Withyam 3 405.41x
Cardiff St John 2 34.31x
Chelsea London 2 6.48x
Broughton In Salford 1 9.00x
Langley Marish 1 131.58x
Minchinhampton 1 62.50x
Oxton 1 78.13x
Paddington London 1 2.66x
Shoreditch London 1 2.25x
St Marylebone London 1 1.83x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 4
Helen 4
Louisa 4
Ann 3
Mary 3
Alice 2
Cecilia 2
Edith 2
Florence 2
Grace 2
Harriet 2
Laura 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Adelaide 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Eliza 1
Elizh. 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Emmeline 1
Ethel 1
Evangeline 1
Evelyn 1
Fanny 1
Gwen 1
Harriett 1
Isabel 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Loraine 1
Lucy 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
Pheobe 1
Rosan 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Hollyer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hollyer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 105 people were recorded with the Hollyer surname. That placed it at #19,183 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hollyer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 152 in 2016. That gives Hollyer a modern rank of #23,516.

What does the Hollyer surname mean?

A surname derived from an occupational name for a tiler or thatcher.

What does the Hollyer map show?

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