NameCensus.

UK surname

Homan

Derived from the Middle English term "houman," referring to a household servant or domestic helper.

In the 1881 census there were 354 people recorded with the Homan surname, ranking it #8,701 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 621, ranked #8,487, up from #8,701 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochester, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Lewes and Torridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Homan is 645 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 75.4%.

1881 census count

354

Ranked #8,701

Modern count

621

2016, ranked #8,487

Peak year

1998

645 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Homan had 354 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,701 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 621 in 2016, ranked #8,487.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 595 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Homan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Homan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Homan 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 285 #7,952
1861 historical 351 #7,278
1881 historical 354 #8,701
1891 historical 401 #8,860
1901 historical 505 #7,988
1911 historical 595 #6,883
1997 modern 633 #7,827
1998 modern 645 #7,957
1999 modern 627 #8,187
2000 modern 605 #8,379
2001 modern 578 #8,506
2002 modern 585 #8,589
2003 modern 574 #8,581
2004 modern 580 #8,543
2005 modern 570 #8,582
2006 modern 576 #8,542
2007 modern 581 #8,564
2008 modern 574 #8,690
2009 modern 593 #8,672
2010 modern 604 #8,749
2011 modern 607 #8,613
2012 modern 601 #8,595
2013 modern 614 #8,589
2014 modern 617 #8,613
2015 modern 618 #8,530
2016 modern 621 #8,487

Geography

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Where Homans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochester, London parishes, St Pancras, Crewkerne, Wayford and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Lewes, Torridge, Southend-on-Sea and Lambeth. 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 Rochester Kent
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Crewkerne, Wayford Somerset
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 058 Cornwall
2 Lewes 011 Lewes
3 Torridge 009 Torridge
4 Southend-on-Sea 012 Southend-on-Sea
5 Lambeth 006 Lambeth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Homan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Homan

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

Homan 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

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

Meaning and origin of Homan

The surname Homan is believed to have originated in France, where it was derived from the French word "homme," meaning "man." The name likely emerged during the medieval period, possibly as a descriptive surname referring to a man of particular stature or character.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 12th century in various regions of France, such as Normandy and Brittany. These early references often appear in local records, parish registers, and legal documents.

One notable early bearer of the name was Jean Homan, a merchant who lived in the town of Rouen in the late 13th century. He is mentioned in several commercial records from that era, indicating the name's presence among the merchant class.

In the 14th century, the name Homan appeared in the "Livre des Bourgeois de Paris," a register of citizens in the city of Paris. This suggests the name had spread to the capital and was well-established among the urban population.

During the Renaissance period, the Homan family produced several notable figures. François Homan (1515-1578) was a renowned scholar and humanist from Lyon, who published numerous works on philosophy and literature.

As the name spread across Europe, variations in spelling emerged, such as Homann, Homman, and Homan. In the 16th century, a branch of the family settled in the Netherlands, where the name was recorded as Homann.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in England can be found in the parish records of St. Botolph's Church in Colchester, Essex, where a certain William Homan was baptized in 1612.

In the 17th century, the Homan name gained prominence in the arts. Pieter Homan (1628-1684) was a renowned Dutch Golden Age painter, known for his genre scenes and portraits. His works can be found in various museums across Europe.

Another notable figure from this period was Johann Baptist Homan (1664-1724), a German cartographer and engraver who founded the influential Homan publishing house, which produced some of the finest maps and atlases of the era.

As the name spread across the globe, it was carried by emigrants to various colonies and settlements. One such example is Samuel Homan (1710-1778), an early settler in Virginia who became a prominent landowner and civic leader in the colony.

Throughout its history, the surname Homan has been borne by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, reflecting the name's enduring presence across different cultures and societies.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Homan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Homan 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 96 Homans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.76x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 96 2.76x
Kent 46 3.87x
Surrey 27 1.59x
Yorkshire 27 0.78x
Hampshire 18 2.52x
Sussex 15 2.55x
Somerset 14 2.50x
Northamptonshire 12 3.66x
Flintshire 11 11.75x
Essex 10 1.45x
Lancashire 9 0.22x
Oxfordshire 9 4.19x
Warwickshire 9 1.02x
Midlothian 7 1.50x
Dorset 6 2.63x
Lanarkshire 6 0.53x
Channel Islands 4 3.88x
Durham 4 0.39x
Hertfordshire 4 1.67x
Staffordshire 4 0.34x
Buckinghamshire 3 1.43x
Wiltshire 3 0.97x
Caernarfonshire 2 1.42x
Shropshire 2 0.66x
Berkshire 1 0.38x
Cumberland 1 0.33x
Denbighshire 1 0.76x
Derbyshire 1 0.18x
Devon 1 0.14x
Leicestershire 1 0.26x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.90x
Rutland 1 3.91x
Worcestershire 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 28 Homans recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.99x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 28 9.99x
Rochester St Nicholas 13 351.35x
Newington 12 9.33x
Lewisham 11 17.36x
Portsea 11 7.86x
Rhuddlan 11 133.50x
Southcoates 10 52.19x
Fritwell 9 1343.28x
Hackney London 9 4.61x
Rochester St Margaret 9 71.83x
Bethnal Green London 8 5.29x
Crewkerne 8 134.45x
Finchley 7 52.43x
Hastings St Leonards 7 81.11x
Huby 7 1186.44x
South Leith 7 13.33x
Bromley London 6 7.83x
Govan 6 2.15x
Hound 6 123.97x
St George Bloomsbury 6 30.03x
Charlton Next Woolwich 5 40.36x
Holy Trinity 5 6.02x
Bedminster 4 7.59x
Hampstead London 4 7.38x
Hitchin 4 36.93x
Kettering 4 30.19x
Lambeth 4 1.32x
Saffron Walden 4 55.10x
St Andrew Holborn London 4 26.53x
St Helier 4 11.91x
Badby 3 461.54x
Brighton 3 2.53x
Deptford St Paul 3 3.27x
Drypool 3 56.82x
Gateshead 3 3.87x
Gillingham 3 76.34x
Leyton Low 3 21.47x
Lichfield St Mary 3 88.50x
Lyme Regis 3 109.49x
Manchester 3 1.61x
Richmond 3 12.62x
Shoreditch London 3 1.99x
Southwark St Saviour 3 16.76x
Stockton 3 365.85x
Trowbridge 3 22.04x
Battersea 2 1.56x
Birmingham 2 0.68x
Chelsea London 2 1.91x
Coventry St Michael 2 7.09x
Hastings St Mary 2 13.69x
Henfield 2 88.50x
Llandudno 2 39.84x
Paddington London 2 1.56x
St George In East London 2 6.11x
St Luke London 2 3.58x
St Marylebone London 2 1.08x
Stoke Newington London 2 7.37x
Stretford 2 8.80x
Waddesdon 2 200.00x
Walcot 2 6.70x
Barking 1 4.97x
Baschurch 1 48.54x
Bow London 1 2.26x
Bray 1 13.02x
Christ Church Newgate 1 61.73x
Cleator 1 8.01x
Coventry Holy Trinity 1 3.81x
Elton 1 7.00x
Gillingham 1 4.08x
Grays Inn Staple Inn 1 222.22x
Hillingdon 1 9.01x
Ilkeston 1 6.54x
Liverpool 1 0.40x
Llandrillo Yn Rhos 1 51.28x
Middlesbrough 1 2.23x
Mile End Old Town London 1 1.35x
Rockingham 1 370.37x
Sunderland 1 5.46x
Tonbridge 1 2.33x
Wigton 1 333.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 26
William 17
Charles 11
George 10
Samuel 10
Thomas 9
Frederick 7
Henry 6
James 4
Alfred 3
Edward 3
Ernest 3
Harry 3
Robert 3
Walter 3
Wm. 3
Albert 2
Arthur 2
Francis 2
Leonard 2
Theodore 2
Brinsley 1
Burn 1
Clarke 1
Claud 1
Cornelian 1
Cornelius 1
Daniel 1
Ebenzer 1
Frank 1
Franklin 1
Godfrey 1
Harold 1
Heber 1
Hubert 1
Jno. 1
Joseph 1
Jr. 1
Leslie 1
Miles 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
Phillip 1
Ralph 1
Reginald 1
Richard 1
Rudolf 1
Rueben 1
Stuart 1
Sydney 1

FAQ

Homan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Homan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 354 people were recorded with the Homan surname. That placed it at #8,701 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Homan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 621 in 2016. That gives Homan a modern rank of #8,487.

What does the Homan surname mean?

Derived from the Middle English term "houman," referring to a household servant or domestic helper.

What does the Homan map show?

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