NameCensus.

UK surname

Holness

A surname derived from the Old English word "hol" meaning hollow or valley, referring to someone who lived near a hollow or valley.

In the 1881 census there were 515 people recorded with the Holness surname, ranking it #6,619 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,340, ranked #4,499, up from #6,619 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Chislett, Herne (incl. Herne Bay Chapelry) and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Canterbury, Peebles North and Thanet.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Holness is 1,396 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 160.2%.

1881 census count

515

Ranked #6,619

Modern count

1,340

2016, ranked #4,499

Peak year

2011

1,396 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Holness had 515 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,619 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,340 in 2016, ranked #4,499.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 678 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Holness surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Holness surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Holness 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 362 #6,537
1861 historical 330 #7,721
1881 historical 515 #6,619
1891 historical 510 #7,307
1901 historical 599 #7,081
1911 historical 678 #6,231
1997 modern 1,289 #4,421
1998 modern 1,325 #4,477
1999 modern 1,337 #4,477
2000 modern 1,333 #4,467
2001 modern 1,311 #4,454
2002 modern 1,357 #4,409
2003 modern 1,311 #4,452
2004 modern 1,305 #4,464
2005 modern 1,267 #4,539
2006 modern 1,266 #4,552
2007 modern 1,293 #4,505
2008 modern 1,317 #4,464
2009 modern 1,364 #4,417
2010 modern 1,382 #4,450
2011 modern 1,396 #4,366
2012 modern 1,344 #4,439
2013 modern 1,370 #4,449
2014 modern 1,379 #4,445
2015 modern 1,343 #4,507
2016 modern 1,340 #4,499

Geography

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Where Holness' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Chislett, Herne (incl. Herne Bay Chapelry), London parishes, Margate and St Mary Northgate, St John's Hospital. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Canterbury, Peebles North, Thanet and Dover. 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 Chislett Kent
2 Herne (incl. Herne Bay Chapelry) Kent
3 London parishes London 3
4 Margate Kent
5 St Mary Northgate, St John's Hospital Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Canterbury 007 Canterbury
2 Canterbury 003 Canterbury
3 Peebles North Scottish Borders
4 Thanet 017 Thanet
5 Dover 002 Dover

Forenames

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First names often paired with Holness

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Holness

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Holness, 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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Holness surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Holness 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Holness 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

Holness is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Holness

The surname HOLNESS is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "hol" meaning "hollow" or "cave," and "ness," meaning "headland" or "promontory." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a hollow or cave on a headland or coastal area.

The earliest recorded instances of the name HOLNESS can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of England, such as Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. It is possible that the name may have appeared in early medieval records or documents, although no specific references to the Domesday Book or other notable manuscripts have been found.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Holness, a landowner in the village of Holton, Yorkshire, mentioned in tax records from the year 1327. Another early record is of a William Holness, a merchant from the town of Grimsby, Lincolnshire, who was granted a trade license in 1412.

Over the centuries, the name HOLNESS has been associated with various places and localities in England, often indicating the geographic origins or residences of different family branches. For instance, the surname may have been derived from place names like Holness in Somerset or Holness Hill in Dorset.

Notable individuals with the surname HOLNESS throughout history include:

1. Richard Holness (c. 1580-1647), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Bawdrip in Somerset. 2. Samuel Holness (1730-1811), a British naval officer who participated in several battles during the American Revolutionary War. 3. Elizabeth Holness (1808-1892), a pioneering educator and founder of one of the earliest schools for girls in the city of Bristol, England. 4. John Holness (1866-1944), a British trade unionist and labor activist who played a significant role in the formation of the Transport and General Workers' Union. 5. Herbert Holness (1919-2003), a Jamaican-born writer, broadcaster, and activist who campaigned for racial equality and civil rights in the United Kingdom.

While the surname HOLNESS may have evolved and spread to various parts of the world over time, its origins can be traced back to the historical regions of England, where it was likely associated with specific geographic features or locations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Holness families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Holness 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. Kent leads with 408 Holness' recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.80x.

County Total Index
Kent 408 23.80x
Middlesex 38 0.76x
Surrey 33 1.35x
Essex 9 0.91x
Durham 8 0.54x
Yorkshire 7 0.14x
Lancashire 4 0.07x
Hampshire 3 0.29x
Sussex 3 0.35x
Cheshire 1 0.09x
Warwickshire 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. Herne in Kent leads with 78 Holness' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1027.67x.

Place Total Index
Herne 78 1027.67x
Margate St John Baptist 41 130.66x
Chislet 28 1443.30x
Deal 22 150.48x
Blean 18 1525.42x
Whitstable 16 190.25x
Hackney London 12 4.26x
Rotherhithe 12 19.33x
Staple 11 1222.22x
Birchington 10 416.67x
Stodmarsh 10 4347.83x
Sturry 10 492.61x
Wingham 10 505.05x
Ash Next Sandwich 9 237.47x
Deptford St Paul 9 6.81x
St Lawrence 9 76.40x
Stourmouth 9 1636.36x
Chilham 8 327.87x
Islington London 8 1.64x
Ramsgate 8 28.59x
St Pancras London 8 1.98x
West Ham 8 3.65x
Bishopwearmouth 7 5.46x
Camberwell 7 2.18x
Holy Trinity 7 5.85x
Minster In Thanet 7 196.08x
Wickhambreux 7 843.37x
Woodnesborough 7 445.86x
Hackington St Stephen 6 545.45x
Lambeth 6 1.37x
St Peters 6 75.66x
Chartham 5 117.10x
Frindsbury 5 77.40x
Fulham London 5 6.86x
Hoath 5 862.07x
Newington 5 2.69x
Walmer 5 67.11x
Faversham 4 24.48x
Canterbury Holy Cross 3 181.82x
Canterbury St Dunstan 3 101.35x
Charlton Next Woolwich 3 16.78x
Gravesend 3 20.68x
Lower Beeding 3 133.33x
Maidstone 3 5.88x
Preston 3 1.88x
Southampton St Mary 3 4.63x
Canterbury St Alphage 2 109.29x
Canterbury St Paul 2 64.94x
Charlton 2 17.57x
Hythe St Leonard 2 33.00x
Mitcham 2 12.93x
Nackington 2 952.38x
Plumstead 2 3.50x
Rochester St Margaret 2 11.07x
Sandwich St Clement 2 137.93x
Shoreditch London 2 0.92x
Tonbridge 2 3.24x
Barham 1 57.47x
Canterbury All Sts 1 161.29x
Canterbury Christchurch 1 256.41x
Canterbury St Augustine 1 158.73x
Canterbury St George 1 48.54x
Canterbury St Gregory 1 44.25x
Canterbury St Mary 1 8.70x
Colchester St Peter 1 25.19x
Eastling 1 120.48x
Harbledown 1 80.65x
Hulme 1 0.80x
Ickham Well 1 102.04x
Leamington Priors 1 3.21x
Lewisham 1 1.09x
Nantwich 1 7.76x
Northfleet 1 6.62x
Poplar London 1 1.05x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.13x
St Michael Wood Street 1 416.67x
Streatham 1 2.68x
Urpeth 1 34.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 22
Henry 21
John 21
Alfred 15
George 14
Frederick 12
Thomas 11
Albert 10
Robert 10
Charles 8
Edward 8
Richard 8
James 7
Stephen 7
Arthur 6
Herbert 6
Joseph 5
David 4
Edwin 4
Walter 4
Ambrose 3
Ernest 3
Percy 3
Clarence 2
Daniel 2
Harry 2
Conolly 1
Earnest 1
Edmund 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred. 1
Fred.S. 1
Fredrick 1
Friend 1
Galor 1
Isaac 1
Jabez 1
Jarvis 1
Jesse 1
Jessie 1
Lewis 1
Malcom 1
Norris 1
Oliver 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
R.J. 1
Talbot 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Holness surname: questions and answers

How common was the Holness surname in 1881?

In 1881, 515 people were recorded with the Holness surname. That placed it at #6,619 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Holness surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,340 in 2016. That gives Holness a modern rank of #4,499.

What does the Holness surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word "hol" meaning hollow or valley, referring to someone who lived near a hollow or valley.

What does the Holness map show?

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