NameCensus.

UK surname

Holyoak

A locational surname referring to someone from a place with holly trees.

In the 1881 census there were 494 people recorded with the Holyoak surname, ranking it #6,837 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 505, ranked #9,919, down from #6,837 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Pertenhall, Little Staughton, Bolnhurst (Riseley, Bedfordshire), Keysoe (Riseley, Bedfordshire) and Kibworth Beauchamp. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bedford, Harborough and South Staffordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Holyoak is 643 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.2%.

1881 census count

494

Ranked #6,837

Modern count

505

2016, ranked #9,919

Peak year

1911

643 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Holyoak had 494 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,837 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 505 in 2016, ranked #9,919.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 643 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Holyoak surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Holyoak surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Holyoak 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 357 #6,620
1861 historical 382 #6,698
1881 historical 494 #6,837
1891 historical 556 #6,822
1901 historical 589 #7,164
1911 historical 643 #6,497
1997 modern 534 #8,864
1998 modern 548 #8,960
1999 modern 544 #9,055
2000 modern 541 #9,070
2001 modern 523 #9,146
2002 modern 536 #9,163
2003 modern 520 #9,233
2004 modern 516 #9,302
2005 modern 515 #9,251
2006 modern 501 #9,481
2007 modern 509 #9,443
2008 modern 501 #9,618
2009 modern 520 #9,568
2010 modern 531 #9,615
2011 modern 525 #9,609
2012 modern 528 #9,482
2013 modern 530 #9,609
2014 modern 542 #9,508
2015 modern 521 #9,722
2016 modern 505 #9,919

Geography

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Where Holyoaks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Pertenhall, Little Staughton, Bolnhurst (Riseley, Bedfordshire), Keysoe (Riseley, Bedfordshire), Kibworth Beauchamp, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Luton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bedford, Harborough, South Staffordshire and Lichfield. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Pertenhall, Little Staughton, Bolnhurst (Riseley, Bedfordshire), Keysoe (Riseley, Bedfordshire) Huntingdonshire
3 Kibworth Beauchamp Leicestershire
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 Luton Bedfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bedford 003 Bedford
2 Harborough 003 Harborough
3 Harborough 005 Harborough
4 South Staffordshire 014 South Staffordshire
5 Lichfield 004 Lichfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Holyoak

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Holyoak

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

Holyoak is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Holyoak falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Holyoak

The surname Holyoak has its origins in England, and it is believed to have emerged in the late 12th or early 13th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "halig" meaning holy and "ac" meaning oak tree, suggesting that it may have referred to a holy oak tree or a sacred grove of oak trees.

Holyoak is a locational surname, indicating that the first bearers of this name likely hailed from a place or settlement associated with a holy oak tree or sacred grove. While there are no definitive records of the exact location that gave rise to this surname, it is possible that it originated in one of the areas where oak trees held particular significance in ancient pagan or early Christian traditions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Holyoak surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Wiltshire from the year 1242, where a certain Robert Holyock is mentioned. This document provides evidence of the existence and use of the surname during the medieval period in England.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the name Holyoak was Richard Holyoak, who lived from around 1530 to 1600. He was a renowned English Catholic martyr who was executed for his faith during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another individual of historical significance was Sir Francis Holyoak, a 17th-century English politician and Member of Parliament who was born in 1632 and died in 1689. He represented Warwickshire in the House of Commons and played an active role in the political affairs of his time.

During the 18th century, a notable bearer of the Holyoak surname was Thomas Holyoak, an English botanist and clergyman who lived from 1733 to 1794. He was known for his work on the flora of Northamptonshire and made significant contributions to the study of plants in his region.

In the 19th century, one prominent figure with the Holyoak surname was Ambrose Holyoak, an English architect and surveyor who was born in 1811 and died in 1888. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in the Midlands region of England, including churches and public edifices.

While the Holyoak surname is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history and has been borne by individuals who have made their mark in various fields, from religion and politics to science and architecture, over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Holyoak families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Holyoak 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. Leicestershire leads with 143 Holyoaks recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.09x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 143 27.09x
Warwickshire 72 6.00x
Bedfordshire 39 15.82x
Middlesex 38 0.80x
Lancashire 28 0.50x
Berkshire 21 5.88x
Shropshire 20 4.86x
Worcestershire 20 3.22x
Northamptonshire 19 4.24x
Surrey 19 0.82x
Durham 11 0.78x
Kent 10 0.62x
Derbyshire 9 1.21x
Yorkshire 9 0.19x
Hampshire 8 0.82x
Staffordshire 7 0.44x
Dunbartonshire 5 3.91x
Cornwall 3 0.56x
Gloucestershire 2 0.21x
Devon 1 0.10x
Huntingdonshire 1 1.06x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.16x
Rutland 1 2.86x
Sussex 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 47 Holyoaks recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.52x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 47 36.52x
Birmingham 39 9.75x
Aston 27 8.17x
Pertenhall 23 4181.82x
Cosby 15 914.63x
Luton 15 35.15x
Bethnal Green London 13 6.29x
Shrewsbury St Mary 12 73.94x
Burbage 11 398.55x
Chelveston Cum Caldecott 11 1594.20x
Kibworth Beauchamp 11 601.09x
Smeeton 11 1746.03x
Sapcote 10 884.96x
Islington London 9 1.95x
Battersea 8 4.57x
Edmonton 8 20.86x
Shrivenham 8 451.98x
Aylesford 7 155.56x
Kings Norton 7 12.56x
Pendleton In Salford 7 10.40x
Portsea 7 3.66x
Queniborough 7 777.78x
Reading St Mary 7 24.46x
Dudley 6 7.94x
Lambeth 6 1.45x
Monkwearmouth 6 44.25x
Moss Side 6 20.19x
Billesdon 5 364.96x
Cheetham 5 11.87x
Dawdon 5 28.70x
Dumbarton 5 28.07x
Little Coxwell 5 1219.51x
Long Eaton 5 50.81x
Northfield 5 42.41x
Pontesbury 5 100.00x
Sharnford 5 666.67x
Ashborne 4 78.90x
Everton 4 2.22x
Keighley 4 7.96x
Lutterworth 4 124.22x
Shoreditch London 4 1.94x
Wellingborough 4 17.77x
Bidford 3 116.73x
Coventry St Michael 3 7.78x
Kibworth Harcourt 3 410.96x
Leeds 3 1.13x
Leicester St Mary 3 7.04x
Northampton All Sts 3 19.75x
Tregoney St James 3 300.00x
Wolverhampton 3 2.43x
Belgrave 2 16.79x
Bromsgrove 2 9.56x
Burnley 2 4.20x
Burton Overy 2 289.86x
Handsworth 2 5.05x
Kingswinford 2 3.43x
Northleach 2 144.93x
Paddington London 2 1.14x
Salford 2 1.20x
St Mary Cray 2 64.31x
Aldershot 1 3.06x
Battlefield 1 666.67x
Byfleet 1 48.54x
Camberwell 1 0.33x
Croydon 1 0.78x
Folkestone 1 3.17x
Frowlesworth 1 285.71x
Glaston 1 277.78x
Great Glenn 1 71.43x
Great Staughton 1 54.64x
Leicester Black Friars 1 29.15x
Lytham 1 11.60x
Melchbourne 1 277.78x
Nether Hallam 1 1.57x
Northampton St Giles 1 5.86x
Oswestry Town 1 7.59x
Shrewsbury St Chad 1 6.93x
South Collingham 1 79.37x
Sutton 1 5.96x
Withington 1 5.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 32
Elizabeth 27
Ann 14
Sarah 14
Alice 13
Eliza 10
Emma 8
Louisa 7
Ellen 6
Ada 5
Annie 5
Caroline 4
Emily 4
Florence 4
Hannah 4
Harriet 4
Lucy 4
Selina 4
Clara 3
Ethel 3
Fanny 3
Jane 3
Kate 3
Maria 3
Martha 3
Susan 3
Agnes 2
Amy 2
Catherine 2
Christiana 2
Constance 2
Elizth. 2
Lilian 2
Nellie 2
Rebecca 2
Susanna 2
Betsy 1
Carrie 1
Edith 1
Elisabeth 1
Elsie 1
Emmer 1
Helen 1
Hephzibah 1
Infant 1
Jemima 1
Julia 1
Lareretta 1
Lilly 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 35
John 30
Thomas 19
Joseph 15
Charles 13
Alfred 10
Henry 10
Arthur 9
George 8
James 8
Walter 7
Frederick 6
Edward 4
Stephen 4
Chamberlain 3
Daniel 3
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Wm. 3
Amos 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Harry 2
Robert 2
Allen 1
Amendus 1
Benjamin 1
Bernard 1
Chas. 1
Francis 1
Fredk 1
Geo.C. 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Jessie 1
Jonas 1
Jonathan 1
Mathew 1
Nathaniel 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
Phillip 1
Reuben 1
Richd.B. 1
Robt. 1
Thos. 1
Thos.B. 1
Vernon 1
Victor 1
Wm.Hy.Thos. 1

FAQ

Holyoak surname: questions and answers

How common was the Holyoak surname in 1881?

In 1881, 494 people were recorded with the Holyoak surname. That placed it at #6,837 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Holyoak surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 505 in 2016. That gives Holyoak a modern rank of #9,919.

What does the Holyoak surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from a place with holly trees.

What does the Holyoak map show?

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