NameCensus.

UK surname

Hone

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Ó hEóghaín," meaning "descendant of Eóghan" (a personal name meaning "born of the yew tree").

In the 1881 census there were 1,021 people recorded with the Hone surname, ranking it #3,839 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,407, ranked #4,332, down from #3,839 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Chobham and Shepperton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chryston and Muirhead, Doncaster and Bristol.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hone is 1,425 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.8%.

1881 census count

1,021

Ranked #3,839

Modern count

1,407

2016, ranked #4,332

Peak year

2002

1,425 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hone had 1,021 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,839 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,407 in 2016, ranked #4,332.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,256 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hone surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hone surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hone 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 788 #3,385
1861 historical 1,157 #2,438
1881 historical 1,021 #3,839
1891 historical 1,123 #3,782
1901 historical 1,213 #4,061
1911 historical 1,256 #3,784
1997 modern 1,342 #4,287
1998 modern 1,403 #4,271
1999 modern 1,404 #4,292
2000 modern 1,394 #4,296
2001 modern 1,377 #4,266
2002 modern 1,425 #4,233
2003 modern 1,379 #4,269
2004 modern 1,368 #4,315
2005 modern 1,301 #4,423
2006 modern 1,298 #4,449
2007 modern 1,309 #4,456
2008 modern 1,312 #4,478
2009 modern 1,373 #4,395
2010 modern 1,381 #4,454
2011 modern 1,365 #4,445
2012 modern 1,344 #4,439
2013 modern 1,383 #4,419
2014 modern 1,406 #4,379
2015 modern 1,406 #4,343
2016 modern 1,407 #4,332

Geography

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Where Hones are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Chobham, Shepperton and Swalcliffe. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chryston and Muirhead, Doncaster, Bristol, Bromley and Wycombe. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Chobham Surrey
4 Shepperton Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
5 Swalcliffe Oxfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chryston and Muirhead North Lanarkshire
2 Doncaster 005 Doncaster
3 Bristol 008 Bristol, City of
4 Bromley 032 Bromley
5 Wycombe 019 Wycombe

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hone

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hone

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Hone is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hone 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

Hone falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hone

The surname Hone has its origins in England, traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "hone," which means a hoarse or husky voice. This suggests that the name may have initially been a nickname for someone with a distinctive voice quality.

In its earliest recorded instances, the surname appeared in various spellings, such as Hone, Hoane, and Houn, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling during the medieval period. The name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Berkshire.

One of the earliest known references to the surname Hone can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were administrative records compiled during the reign of King Edward I. These rolls documented individuals by their surnames, providing valuable insights into the origins and distribution of family names across England.

The surname Hone can also be traced back to place names, as it was common for people to adopt surnames based on the locations they were from or associated with. For instance, there is a village called Hone in Shropshire, which may have contributed to the surname's development.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Hone throughout history include:

1. Nathaniel Hone (1718-1784), an English portrait painter and satirist known for his works depicting contemporary society. 2. William Hone (1780-1842), an English writer, publisher, and satirist who was prosecuted for blasphemy and sedition but later acquitted. 3. Joseph Maundy Hone (1778-1851), an English engraver and writer, best known for his work "The Every-Day Book" published in the early 19th century. 4. Richard Hone (c. 1480-1546), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford in the 16th century. 5. Philip Hone (1780-1851), an American merchant, politician, and diarist who served as the Mayor of New York City from 1825 to 1826.

While these are just a few examples, the surname Hone has been present throughout various periods of history, with individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions contributing to its legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hone families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hone 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. Surrey leads with 237 Hones recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.88x.

County Total Index
Surrey 237 4.88x
Middlesex 208 2.09x
Oxfordshire 135 21.95x
Gloucestershire 78 3.99x
Kent 77 2.27x
Warwickshire 37 1.47x
Essex 29 1.48x
Yorkshire 25 0.25x
Hampshire 20 0.98x
Lancashire 19 0.16x
Devon 17 0.82x
Sussex 17 1.01x
Monmouthshire 16 2.22x
Buckinghamshire 15 2.49x
Worcestershire 12 0.92x
Lanarkshire 11 0.34x
Berkshire 8 1.07x
Glamorgan 7 0.40x
Lincolnshire 7 0.44x
Dorset 6 0.92x
Norfolk 6 0.39x
Hertfordshire 5 0.73x
Leicestershire 5 0.45x
Somerset 5 0.31x
Staffordshire 5 0.15x
Durham 4 0.14x
Derbyshire 2 0.13x
Northamptonshire 2 0.21x
Shropshire 2 0.23x
Berwickshire 1 0.83x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.16x
Royal Navy 1 0.84x
Wiltshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Swalcliffe Sibford Gower in Oxfordshire leads with 32 Hones recorded in 1881 and an index of 2176.87x.

Place Total Index
Swalcliffe Sibford Gower 32 2176.87x
Chobham 22 256.71x
Islington London 19 1.97x
St Pancras London 19 2.37x
Camberwell 18 2.83x
Chertsey 18 57.40x
Croydon 18 6.68x
Shepperton 16 364.46x
Harefield 15 292.40x
Birmingham 14 1.67x
Haresfield 14 717.95x
Lambeth 13 1.50x
St Marylebone London 13 2.44x
Walton On Thames 13 58.35x
Banbury 12 97.40x
Penge 12 18.86x
West Ham 12 2.76x
Wimbledon 12 22.02x
Deptford St Paul 11 4.20x
E Adderbury 11 354.84x
Hammersmith London 11 4.48x
Battersea 10 2.73x
Isleworth 10 22.58x
Northfleet 10 33.40x
Willesden 10 10.65x
Bicester Market End 9 79.72x
Bursledon 9 405.41x
Deddington 9 134.73x
Glasgow 9 1.57x
Hornsey 9 7.15x
Kirkdale 9 4.53x
Neithrop 9 43.54x
St Woollos 9 11.20x
Stonehouse 9 81.08x
Upper Heyford 9 687.02x
Weybridge 9 86.46x
Barking 8 13.91x
Burnham 8 104.30x
Clapham 8 6.43x
Claydon 8 701.75x
Holbeck 8 12.23x
Preston On Stour 8 860.22x
Sunbury 8 66.89x
Woking 8 27.35x
Ash Normandy 7 106.22x
Bramley In Bramley 7 18.53x
Brotton 7 54.35x
Chatham 7 7.49x
Churcham 7 402.30x
North Thoresby 7 273.44x
Shipston On Stour 7 118.24x
Stoke Orchard 7 1186.44x
Westminster St Margaret 7 14.57x
Bromley London 6 2.74x
Byfleet 6 138.89x
Chelsea London 6 2.00x
Flaxley 6 136.99x
Hillingdon 6 18.90x
Hornton 6 350.88x
Hove 6 8.14x
Leyton Low 6 15.02x
Ottery St Mary 6 44.12x
Oxford St Giles 6 20.45x
Plumstead 6 5.30x
Poplar London 6 3.19x
Reigate Foreign 6 11.42x
South Bersted 6 42.02x
Staines 6 38.05x
Trevethin 6 8.82x
Bermondsey 5 1.69x
Charlecote 5 561.80x
Everton 5 1.33x
Hook Norton 5 118.76x
Kegworth 5 68.12x
Milton Keynes 5 602.41x
Newington 5 1.36x
Shenington 5 381.68x
Swansea Town 5 3.52x
Twickenham 5 11.71x
Winchcomb 5 51.60x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 48
Sarah 38
Elizabeth 31
Emma 22
Ann 21
Eliza 21
Jane 21
Annie 18
Ellen 17
Alice 14
Edith 14
Emily 14
Charlotte 11
Lucy 10
Ada 8
Caroline 8
Frances 7
Hannah 6
Harriett 6
Louisa 6
Clara 5
Harriet 5
Rose 5
Susan 5
Agnes 4
Amelia 4
Amy 4
Anne 4
Esther 4
Ethel 4
Florence 4
Kate 4
Maria 4
Matilda 4
Sophia 4
Anna 3
Beatrice 3
Celia 3
Elizth. 3
Grace 3
Helen 3
Maud 3
Bessie 2
Gertrude 2
Mable 2
Magt. 2
Martha 2
Minnie 2
Nellie 2
Oliff 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 74
James 48
George 46
John 44
Henry 35
Charles 29
Arthur 20
Alfred 17
Thomas 17
Frederick 15
Edward 14
Walter 13
Joseph 12
Robert 9
Ernest 7
Samuel 7
Albert 6
Harry 6
Herbert 6
David 3
J. 3
Stephen 3
Frank 2
Geo. 2
Percy 2
Richard 2
Sidney 2
Sydney 2
Benjamin 1
Campbell 1
Cecil 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
Edwin 1
Enoch 1
Erskine 1
Evelyn 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Hillier 1
Horace 1
J.F. 1
Jack 1
Jason 1
Jno. 1
Job 1
Jonathan 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Hone surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hone surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,021 people were recorded with the Hone surname. That placed it at #3,839 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hone surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,407 in 2016. That gives Hone a modern rank of #4,332.

What does the Hone surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Ó hEóghaín," meaning "descendant of Eóghan" (a personal name meaning "born of the yew tree").

What does the Hone map show?

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