NameCensus.

UK surname

Hollyhead

In the 1881 census there were 137 people recorded with the Hollyhead surname, ranking it #16,358 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 274, ranked #15,759, up from #16,358 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors, Dudley and Shiffnal. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sandwell, Walsall and Dudley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hollyhead is 293 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 100.0%.

1881 census count

137

Ranked #16,358

Modern count

274

2016, ranked #15,759

Peak year

2002

293 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hollyhead had 137 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,358 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 274 in 2016, ranked #15,759.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 215 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Hollyhead surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hollyhead surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Hollyhead 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 58 #22,928
1861 historical 81 #23,431
1881 historical 137 #16,358
1891 historical 113 #22,162
1901 historical 177 #16,342
1911 historical 215 #14,290
1997 modern 276 #14,290
1998 modern 271 #14,883
1999 modern 280 #14,630
2000 modern 287 #14,345
2001 modern 278 #14,444
2002 modern 293 #14,203
2003 modern 271 #14,787
2004 modern 273 #14,804
2005 modern 273 #14,708
2006 modern 266 #15,076
2007 modern 268 #15,172
2008 modern 282 #14,748
2009 modern 285 #14,944
2010 modern 268 #15,978
2011 modern 265 #15,980
2012 modern 263 #15,954
2013 modern 267 #16,053
2014 modern 277 #15,734
2015 modern 276 #15,673
2016 modern 274 #15,759

Geography

Back to top

Where Hollyheads are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors, Dudley, Shiffnal, Wednesbury and Featherstone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sandwell, Walsall, Dudley and Cornwall. 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 Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors Shropshire
2 Dudley Staffordshire
3 Shiffnal Shropshire
4 Wednesbury Staffordshire
5 Featherstone Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sandwell 003 Sandwell
2 Walsall 033 Walsall
3 Dudley 010 Dudley
4 Walsall 006 Walsall
5 Cornwall 070 Cornwall

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Hollyhead

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Hollyhead

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Hollyhead is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hollyhead 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

Hollyhead falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hollyhead 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 Hollyhead, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Hollyhead families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hollyhead 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. Staffordshire leads with 62 Hollyheads recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.75x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 62 13.75x
Worcestershire 20 11.46x
Shropshire 19 16.46x
Yorkshire 13 0.98x
Nottinghamshire 9 5.00x
Surrey 9 1.38x
Leicestershire 3 2.02x
Middlesex 1 0.07x
Warwickshire 1 0.30x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Bromwich in Staffordshire leads with 31 Hollyheads recorded in 1881 and an index of 120.06x.

Place Total Index
West Bromwich 31 120.06x
Wednesbury 22 195.21x
Shifnal 14 447.28x
Dudley 11 51.86x
Basford 9 108.43x
Oldbury 9 104.77x
Southwark St Saviour 9 131.00x
Sedgley 8 47.76x
Morley 7 101.74x
Brightside Bierlow 6 23.10x
Wrockwardine 5 196.85x
Leicester St Mary 3 25.06x
Aston 1 1.08x
Handsworth 1 8.99x
St Pancras London 1 0.93x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 9
Joseph 8
William 8
George 5
James 5
Thomas 5
Benjamin 3
Henry 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Emmanuel 2
Jabez 2
Albert 1
Earnest 1
Edwin 1
Enoch 1
Isaih 1
Jonah 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Hollyhead surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hollyhead surname in 1881?

In 1881, 137 people were recorded with the Hollyhead surname. That placed it at #16,358 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hollyhead surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 274 in 2016. That gives Hollyhead a modern rank of #15,759.

What does the Hollyhead map show?

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