NameCensus.

UK surname

Holtby

A locational surname derived from a place name referring to a dwelling near a wooded area.

In the 1881 census there were 294 people recorded with the Holtby surname, ranking it #9,859 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 510, ranked #9,846, up from #9,859 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hull Holy Trinity, Pickering and Beverley St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Hertfordshire, Ryedale and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Holtby is 537 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 73.5%.

1881 census count

294

Ranked #9,859

Modern count

510

2016, ranked #9,846

Peak year

2013

537 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Holtby had 294 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,859 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 510 in 2016, ranked #9,846.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 392 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Holtby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Holtby surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Holtby 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 185 #11,077
1861 historical 209 #11,596
1881 historical 294 #9,859
1891 historical 307 #10,914
1901 historical 349 #10,457
1911 historical 392 #9,421
1997 modern 463 #9,850
1998 modern 482 #9,878
1999 modern 506 #9,574
2000 modern 535 #9,144
2001 modern 523 #9,146
2002 modern 514 #9,451
2003 modern 515 #9,288
2004 modern 519 #9,257
2005 modern 498 #9,467
2006 modern 487 #9,664
2007 modern 507 #9,470
2008 modern 503 #9,590
2009 modern 509 #9,712
2010 modern 507 #9,947
2011 modern 509 #9,821
2012 modern 508 #9,748
2013 modern 537 #9,526
2014 modern 535 #9,594
2015 modern 522 #9,710
2016 modern 510 #9,846

Geography

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Where Holtbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hull Holy Trinity, Pickering, Beverley St Mary, Kirk Ella (Willerby, Kirk Ella, West Ella), North Ferriby (Swanland) and Wetwang. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Hertfordshire, Ryedale and East Riding of Yorkshire. 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 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Pickering Yorkshire, North Riding
3 Beverley St Mary Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Kirk Ella (Willerby, Kirk Ella, West Ella), North Ferriby (Swanland) Yorkshire, East Riding
5 Wetwang Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Hertfordshire 012 East Hertfordshire
2 Ryedale 007 Ryedale
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 026 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 019 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 East Hertfordshire 015 East Hertfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Holtby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Holtby

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Holtby 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

Holtby is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Holtby falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Holtby

The surname Holtby is of English origin, specifically from the Yorkshire region of northern England. It dates back to the 13th century and is derived from the Old Norse words "holr" meaning "hollow" and "by" meaning "village" or "settlement". This suggests that the name originally referred to someone who lived in a village located in a hollow or valley.

One of the earliest known records of the name Holtby can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, which lists a Richard de Holtby. This indicates that the name was already well-established in the region by the late 14th century. There are also references to places called Holtby in various medieval records, such as the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a manor called "Holdebi" in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

The name Holtby may have originated as a locational surname, referring to people who lived in or came from a place called Holtby. However, it could also have been an occupational surname, describing someone who lived in a hollow or valley. Over time, the spelling of the name has varied, with forms such as Holtbie, Holteby, and Holtbye appearing in historical records.

One notable individual bearing the surname Holtby was Winifred Holtby (1898-1935), an English novelist and feminist writer. She was born in Rudston, Yorkshire, and is best known for her novel "South Riding", which was published posthumously in 1936. Another person of note was Sir Edward Holtby (1834-1919), an English businessman and politician who served as the Lord Mayor of York in 1895.

Other historical figures with the surname Holtby include John Holtby (1644-1714), an English clergyman and academic who served as Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge, and William Holtby (1691-1759), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for the borough of Aldborough, Yorkshire, in the mid-18th century. There is also evidence of the name Holtby appearing in various parish records and court rolls across Yorkshire and other parts of northern England during the medieval and early modern periods.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Holtby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Holtby 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 219 Holtbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.71x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 219 7.71x
Lincolnshire 61 13.30x
Lancashire 8 0.24x
Northamptonshire 2 0.74x
Cheshire 1 0.16x
Norfolk 1 0.23x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.26x
Surrey 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Holy Trinity St Mary in Yorkshire leads with 14 Holtbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 323.33x.

Place Total Index
Holy Trinity St Mary 14 323.33x
Great Driffield 13 222.98x
Wetwang 13 2131.15x
Luttons Ambo 12 2033.90x
Holy Trinity 10 14.63x
Knapton 10 2941.18x
Sculcoates 10 22.19x
Droylsden 8 72.07x
Newton In Pickering 8 3333.33x
Beverley St Mary 7 168.67x
Cleethorpes 7 259.26x
Ashby Puerorum 6 4285.71x
Broughton 6 468.75x
Cadney 6 1363.64x
Clifton In York 6 101.01x
Newington 6 76.63x
Rotsea 6 15000.00x
Seamer In Scarborough 6 652.17x
Ebberston 5 862.07x
Emswell Cum Kellythorpe 5 3125.00x
Great Grimsby 5 17.18x
Kirkby Moorside 5 276.24x
Leeds 5 3.12x
Sledmere Cum Croom 5 1020.41x
Staveley 5 1562.50x
Wintringham 5 1562.50x
Bridlington 4 61.44x
Pickering 4 111.73x
Utterby 4 1481.48x
York St Mary 4 33.98x
Flaxton 3 833.33x
Greetham 3 2142.86x
Huggate 3 555.56x
North Ormsby 3 1666.67x
Skelton In Guisbrough 3 39.01x
Appleton Le Moors 2 689.66x
Burwell 2 1250.00x
Cabourn 2 1176.47x
Chapel Allerton 2 47.06x
Horncastle 2 42.28x
Hutton Cranswick 2 166.67x
Reighton 2 800.00x
Somerby In Caistor 2 2000.00x
Wansford 2 952.38x
Amotherby 1 370.37x
Boynton 1 666.67x
Brington 1 123.46x
Clee With Weelsby 1 9.96x
Cottingham 1 16.34x
Cowlam 1 1666.67x
Dukinfield 1 3.42x
East Ardsley 1 40.65x
East Newton Laysthorp 1 1666.67x
Falsgrave 1 23.87x
Fulstow 1 181.82x
Garton On Wolds 1 196.08x
Gate Fulford 1 15.06x
Gayton Le Marsh 1 416.67x
Hunmanby 1 75.19x
Lambeth 1 0.40x
Langtoft 1 163.93x
Marsh Chapel 1 178.57x
Nafferton 1 82.64x
New Village 1 117.65x
North Cave Drewton 1 89.29x
North Somercotes 1 83.33x
Patrington 1 74.63x
Rand 1 1666.67x
Raventhorpe 1 3333.33x
Saltfleetby St Peter 1 312.50x
Seaton Wassand 1 243.90x
Selby 1 16.84x
Sherburn 1 42.74x
St Mary 1 52.63x
Styrrup 1 175.44x
Sutton Stoneferry 1 12.30x
Tickton Hull Bridge 1 270.27x
Wharram Percy 1 1666.67x
Whitby 1 10.44x
Wrawby 1 80.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Sarah 13
Elizabeth 10
Ann 9
Jane 9
Annie 7
Alice 5
Hannah 5
Frances 4
Margaret 4
Ada 3
Emily 3
Charlotte 2
Emma 2
Gertrude 2
Harriet 2
Lucy 2
Rose 2
Susan 2
Agnes 1
Alicia 1
Alverie 1
Bertha 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Christiana 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Helen 1
Henrietta 1
Margret 1
Maria 1
Marion 1
Martha 1
May 1
Mrinda 1
Prudence 1
Rachael 1
Rebecca 1
Ruth 1
Winifred 1
Zallie 1
Zuza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 31
William 23
Thomas 15
James 11
Robert 10
George 9
Joseph 7
Alfred 4
Richard 4
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Henry 3
Tom 3
Amos 2
David 2
Ernest 2
Samuel 2
Stephen 2
Walter 2
Annie 1
Edmond 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Evison 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Harry 1
Infant 1
Isaac 1
J.Wm. 1
Joshua 1
Percy 1
Wilm 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Holtby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Holtby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 294 people were recorded with the Holtby surname. That placed it at #9,859 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Holtby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 510 in 2016. That gives Holtby a modern rank of #9,846.

What does the Holtby surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name referring to a dwelling near a wooded area.

What does the Holtby map show?

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