NameCensus.

UK surname

Honour

A surname indicating elevated status or respect.

In the 1881 census there were 479 people recorded with the Honour surname, ranking it #6,993 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 917, ranked #6,223, up from #6,993 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Willesden and Hardwicke. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cherwell, Aylesbury Vale and Cotswold.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Honour is 978 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 91.4%.

1881 census count

479

Ranked #6,993

Modern count

917

2016, ranked #6,223

Peak year

2000

978 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Honour had 479 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,993 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 917 in 2016, ranked #6,223.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 803 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Honour surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Honour surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Honour 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 219 #9,712
1861 historical 281 #8,921
1881 historical 479 #6,993
1891 historical 628 #6,158
1901 historical 736 #6,018
1911 historical 803 #5,465
1997 modern 838 #6,306
1998 modern 947 #5,920
1999 modern 944 #5,980
2000 modern 978 #5,798
2001 modern 952 #5,806
2002 modern 957 #5,889
2003 modern 908 #6,043
2004 modern 905 #6,071
2005 modern 904 #6,009
2006 modern 909 #5,995
2007 modern 897 #6,101
2008 modern 896 #6,150
2009 modern 924 #6,131
2010 modern 960 #6,071
2011 modern 923 #6,204
2012 modern 929 #6,098
2013 modern 954 #6,061
2014 modern 955 #6,100
2015 modern 943 #6,102
2016 modern 917 #6,223

Geography

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Where Honours are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Willesden, Hardwicke and Boarstall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cherwell, Aylesbury Vale and Cotswold. 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 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 Hardwicke Buckinghamshire
5 Boarstall Oxfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cherwell 016 Cherwell
2 Aylesbury Vale 010 Aylesbury Vale
3 Cotswold 002 Cotswold
4 Cherwell 011 Cherwell
5 Cherwell 010 Cherwell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Honour

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Honour

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

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Honour is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Honour is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Honour falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Honour

The surname Honour originates from England and dates back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "honor" or "honur", meaning esteem, respect, or distinction. The name likely emerged as a descriptive surname, referring to someone who was held in high regard or possessed honorable qualities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, which mention a person named Robert Honur. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also include entries for individuals with the surname Honour, such as William le Honur and Gilbert le Honur.

During the Middle Ages, the name appeared in various spellings, including Honur, Honore, and Honoria. These variations reflect the fluid nature of spelling conventions in those times. Some early bearers of the name may have had connections to places with names like Honington or Hunningham, which could have influenced the surname's spelling.

In the 14th century, the name Honour was associated with notable individuals, such as John Honour, a clergyman who served as the Abbot of Glastonbury from 1336 to 1349. Another prominent figure was Walter Honour, a 15th-century English churchman who held the position of Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield from 1448 to 1472.

The Honour surname continued to be recorded in various historical documents over the centuries. One example is Sir William Honour, a 17th-century English merchant and politician who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1677.

Other notable bearers of the Honour surname include:

1. Thomas Charles Honour (1769-1827), an English architect known for his work on buildings in Cheltenham. 2. Henry Honour (1808-1884), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the 19th century. 3. Reginald Honour (1919-2016), a British art historian and author who specialized in neo-classical architecture. 4. Andrew Honour (born 1963), a British film director and screenwriter known for his work on television series and documentaries. 5. Michael Honour (born 1973), an Australian cricketer who played domestically for South Australia.

While the Honour surname has undergone various spelling variations throughout history, it remains a distinctive name with roots in medieval England, reflecting a sense of esteem and honorable qualities.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Honour families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Honour 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. Buckinghamshire leads with 110 Honours recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.19x.

County Total Index
Buckinghamshire 110 39.19x
Middlesex 104 2.24x
Oxfordshire 75 26.16x
Surrey 40 1.77x
Hertfordshire 28 8.75x
Hampshire 16 1.68x
Kent 12 0.76x
Essex 11 1.20x
Northumberland 10 1.45x
Gloucestershire 8 0.88x
Sussex 8 1.02x
Warwickshire 8 0.68x
Berkshire 6 1.72x
Devon 6 0.62x
Lancashire 6 0.11x
Glamorgan 4 0.49x
Bedfordshire 3 1.25x
Cambridgeshire 3 1.02x
Durham 3 0.22x
Lanarkshire 3 0.20x
Yorkshire 3 0.07x
Derbyshire 2 0.28x
Flintshire 2 1.60x
Worcestershire 2 0.33x
Cumberland 1 0.25x
Somerset 1 0.13x
Suffolk 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Charlton On Otmoor in Oxfordshire leads with 39 Honours recorded in 1881 and an index of 4642.86x.

Place Total Index
Charlton On Otmoor 39 4642.86x
Weedon 35 5072.46x
Boarstall 32 9696.97x
Bierton With Broughton 16 1240.31x
Berkhampstead 14 194.44x
St Pancras London 14 3.75x
Eversley 11 1009.17x
Wallsend 10 45.64x
Beaconsfield 9 346.15x
Chesham 9 86.96x
Marston 9 1097.56x
St Martin In Fields 9 32.37x
Birmingham 8 2.05x
Ickford 8 1355.93x
Battersea 7 4.10x
Bristol St Paul In 7 28.85x
Bromley London 7 6.85x
Camberwell 7 2.36x
Combe 7 813.95x
Cranford 7 875.00x
Deptford St Paul 7 5.73x
Hammersmith London 7 6.12x
Lambeth 7 1.73x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 7.49x
Swyncombe 7 1206.90x
Abingdon St Helen 6 58.88x
Aylesbury 6 48.23x
Dawlish 6 83.22x
Paddington London 6 3.51x
Shoreditch London 6 2.98x
St George Hanover Square 6 7.33x
Chelsea London 5 3.57x
Everton 5 2.85x
Hemel Hempstead 5 34.67x
Kingston On Thames 5 9.20x
Leyton 5 31.67x
Newington 5 2.92x
North Mimms 5 247.52x
St Gilesin Fields London 5 127.23x
St Marylebone London 5 2.02x
Tonbridge 5 8.75x
Hackney London 4 1.54x
Harmondsworth 4 138.89x
Hendon 4 23.94x
Kensington London 4 1.55x
Preston 4 29.26x
Swansea Town 4 6.04x
Ashendon 3 769.23x
Bothwell 3 7.37x
Chesterton 3 33.08x
Keymer 3 54.25x
Leeds 3 1.15x
Ouston 3 148.51x
Walthamstow 3 9.09x
West Ham 3 1.48x
Beoley 2 206.19x
Charterhouse London 2 91.32x
Islington London 2 0.44x
Mattingley 2 246.91x
Oxford St Clement 2 27.62x
Stapenhill 2 18.48x
Teddington London 2 19.01x
Tring 2 23.42x
Wigginton 2 176.99x
Aldershot 1 3.14x
Betchworth 1 35.84x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 1.17x
Hampstead London 1 1.38x
Heston 1 6.49x
Holywell 1 6.38x
Luton 1 2.40x
Mold Gwernaffield 1 217.39x
Oxford St Thomas 1 7.47x
Richmond 1 3.15x
Rougham 1 76.92x
St Cuthbert W O 1 5.13x
St Lawrence 1 250.00x
Stoke Lyne 1 113.64x
Taunton St Mary 1 7.29x
Twickenham 1 5.02x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 20
Mary 20
Sarah 18
Alice 13
Ellen 11
Ada 8
Jane 8
Emma 7
Ann 6
Edith 6
Emily 6
Annie 5
Lucy 5
Anne 4
Elizebeth 4
Kate 4
Martha 4
Rebecca 4
Amelia 3
Caroline 3
Charlotte 3
Eliza 3
Fanny 3
Florence 3
Frances 3
Hannah 3
Maria 3
Susannah 3
Bessie 2
Catherine 2
Esther 2
Harriet 2
Louisa 2
May 2
Phillis 2
Rhoda 2
Christabell 1
Clara 1
Ellin 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
Fanney 1
Julia 1
Kezia 1
Lewisa 1
Lillie 1
Lilly 1
Livey 1
Lizzie 1
Victoria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 26
Thomas 24
John 20
James 17
George 13
Charles 10
Henry 9
Alfred 8
Frederick 7
Albert 6
Richard 6
Walter 6
David 5
Edward 5
Arthur 4
Daniel 4
Edwin 4
Herbert 4
Joseph 4
Aubrey 3
Harry 3
Job 3
Mark 3
Eli 2
Frank 2
Fredrick 2
Levi 2
Michael 2
Archer 1
Auther 1
Caleb 1
Claude 1
E.W. 1
Elizabeth 1
Ernest 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Harrey 1
Jessia 1
Jonas 1
Levis 1
Mathew 1
Matthew 1
Percy 1
Rewben 1
Robert 1
Robt.Chas. 1
Rupert 1
Samuel 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Honour surname: questions and answers

How common was the Honour surname in 1881?

In 1881, 479 people were recorded with the Honour surname. That placed it at #6,993 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Honour surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 917 in 2016. That gives Honour a modern rank of #6,223.

What does the Honour surname mean?

A surname indicating elevated status or respect.

What does the Honour map show?

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