NameCensus.

UK surname

Hood

An occupational surname referring to someone who made hoods or lived near a hood-shaped hill or mountain.

In the 1881 census there were 8,297 people recorded with the Hood surname, ranking it #508 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 10,632, ranked #610, down from #508 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Govan Combination and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, Redcar and Cleveland and IZ11.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hood is 11,102 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.1%.

1881 census count

8,297

Ranked #508

Modern count

10,632

2016, ranked #610

Peak year

1999

11,102 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hood had 8,297 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #508 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 10,632 in 2016, ranked #610.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 10,306 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Hood surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hood surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hood 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 5,915 #468
1861 historical 6,479 #433
1881 historical 8,297 #508
1891 historical 9,234 #477
1901 historical 10,306 #508
1911 historical 8,380 #596
1997 modern 10,572 #583
1998 modern 11,048 #584
1999 modern 11,102 #584
2000 modern 10,945 #587
2001 modern 10,721 #586
2002 modern 10,902 #589
2003 modern 10,610 #591
2004 modern 10,533 #595
2005 modern 10,395 #598
2006 modern 10,346 #602
2007 modern 10,379 #606
2008 modern 10,480 #604
2009 modern 10,686 #607
2010 modern 10,890 #610
2011 modern 10,723 #609
2012 modern 10,529 #610
2013 modern 10,700 #609
2014 modern 10,778 #610
2015 modern 10,653 #609
2016 modern 10,632 #610

Geography

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Where Hoods are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Govan Combination, Gateshead and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire, Redcar and Cleveland, IZ11, Galston and Kilbirnie North. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 012 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 Redcar and Cleveland 016 Redcar and Cleveland
3 IZ11 East Lothian
4 Galston East Ayrshire
5 Kilbirnie North North Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hood

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hood

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hood, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Hood surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Hood household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Hood 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

Hood is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hood falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hood

The surname HOOD is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "hod," meaning a hood or cowl. It likely originated as an occupational name for a maker or seller of hoods, or as a nickname for someone who frequently wore a hood.

Early records of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Hod" in various counties across England. The Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1176 include a reference to a "Roger Hood," suggesting the name's use in medieval times.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Robin Hood, the legendary English folk hero from the late 12th century. While his existence remains debated, tales of his exploits in Sherwood Forest have made him a iconic figure in English folklore.

In the 13th century, the name is found in various records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which mentions a "William le Hod" in Oxfordshire. The Placita de Quo Warranto of 1293 includes a "Richard Hod" from Yorkshire.

Notable individuals with the surname HOOD throughout history include:

1. Thomas Hood (1799-1845), an English poet and author known for his works such as "The Song of the Shirt" and "The Bridge of Sighs." 2. Samuel Hood (1724-1816), a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. 3. John Bell Hood (1831-1879), a Confederate general during the American Civil War, known for his role in the Atlanta Campaign and the Franklin-Nashville Campaign. 4. Raymond M. Hood (1881-1934), an American architect best known for designing the iconic Rockefeller Center in New York City. 5. Andrew Hood (1775-1858), an American politician who served as the 6th Governor of Connecticut from 1835 to 1838.

The name HOOD has also been associated with various place names, such as Hood River in Oregon, named after a British sailor, and Hood County in Texas, named after the Confederate general John Bell Hood.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hood families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hood 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 857 Hoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.06x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 857 1.06x
Yorkshire 703 0.88x
Durham 535 2.22x
Staffordshire 503 1.84x
Lanarkshire 490 1.87x
Lancashire 471 0.49x
Ayrshire 372 6.15x
Kent 368 1.33x
Angus 337 4.50x
Warwickshire 294 1.44x
Surrey 253 0.64x
Midlothian 245 2.26x
Northumberland 224 1.86x
Suffolk 218 2.21x
Norfolk 196 1.58x
Leicestershire 160 1.78x
Perthshire 135 3.72x
Wiltshire 122 1.71x
Hampshire 120 0.72x
Cheshire 94 0.53x
Fife 94 1.96x
Essex 93 0.58x
Renfrewshire 85 1.36x
Dorset 71 1.34x
Gloucestershire 68 0.43x
East Lothian 67 6.26x
Derbyshire 66 0.52x
Berwickshire 59 6.02x
Sussex 55 0.40x
Lincolnshire 53 0.41x
Worcestershire 53 0.50x
Morayshire 50 3.98x
Monmouthshire 48 0.82x
Shropshire 44 0.63x
Roxburghshire 43 2.94x
Somerset 42 0.32x
Cambridgeshire 38 0.74x
Inverness-shire 36 1.49x
Nottinghamshire 36 0.33x
Devon 35 0.21x
Aberdeenshire 33 0.44x
Dumfriesshire 33 1.85x
Wigtownshire 31 2.89x
West Lothian 29 2.38x
Kincardineshire 26 2.64x
Glamorgan 25 0.18x
Hertfordshire 25 0.45x
Kirkcudbrightshire 24 2.05x
Oxfordshire 24 0.48x
Selkirkshire 23 3.14x
Stirlingshire 22 0.74x
Dunbartonshire 20 0.92x
Cumberland 15 0.22x
Ross-shire 14 0.63x
Berkshire 12 0.20x
Caithness 12 1.08x
Northamptonshire 12 0.16x
Buckinghamshire 10 0.20x
Royal Navy 9 0.93x
Montgomeryshire 8 0.43x
Argyllshire 7 0.31x
Banffshire 6 0.36x
Cornwall 6 0.07x
Pembrokeshire 6 0.23x
Rutland 6 1.01x
Bedfordshire 4 0.10x
Clackmannanshire 3 0.45x
Huntingdonshire 3 0.19x
Buteshire 2 0.41x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.06x
Herefordshire 2 0.06x
Channel Islands 1 0.04x
Isle of Man 1 0.07x
Peeblesshire 1 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 185 Hoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.86x.

Place Total Index
Govan 185 2.86x
Barony 138 2.08x
Dundee 105 3.75x
St Pancras London 96 1.47x
Aston 95 1.69x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 93 2.13x
Glasgow 93 2.00x
Gateshead 91 5.05x
Birmingham 84 1.24x
Mile End Old Town London 71 4.13x
Shoreditch London 64 1.83x
Preston 62 2.41x
Kilmarnock 57 7.91x
Lambeth 54 0.77x
Lowestoft 53 11.39x
Abbey 48 5.02x
Hackney London 46 1.01x
West Ham 46 1.31x
Kensington London 44 0.98x
Loughborough 43 10.57x
Stoke Upon Trent 43 1.49x
Burslem 42 5.37x
Bishopwearmouth 41 1.99x
Brechin 41 13.93x
Tranent 41 28.33x
Holy Trinity 37 1.92x
Islington London 36 0.46x
St George Hanover Square 36 2.53x
St Marylebone London 36 0.83x
Dawdon 35 11.83x
Salford 35 1.24x
Galston 34 20.54x
Inverness 34 5.60x
Loudoun 34 23.36x
North Bierley 34 7.86x
Leeds 33 0.73x
Battersea 32 1.08x
Bromley London 32 1.80x
Wolstanton 32 3.86x
Bethnal Green London 31 0.88x
Heigham 31 4.65x
Chelsea London 28 1.15x
Clifton 28 3.49x
Hinckley 28 13.17x
Kirriemuir 27 14.61x
Mildenhall 27 25.80x
St George In East London 27 3.55x
Lee 26 6.49x
Lewisham 26 1.77x
Liff Benvie 26 2.29x
Newton On Ayr 26 14.34x
Perth East Church 26 7.60x
Arbroath 25 10.07x
Ayr 25 8.75x
Chopwell 25 55.92x
Folkestone 25 4.67x
Leicester St Margaret 25 1.14x
Paddington London 25 0.84x
South Leith 25 2.05x
St Woollos 25 3.83x
West Kilbride 25 43.36x
Ditchingham 24 80.65x
Kingsley 24 47.17x
Nether Hallam 24 2.21x
West Derby 24 0.85x
Ealing 23 3.18x
Forfar 23 5.67x
Liverpool 23 0.39x
Westgate 23 3.09x
Croydon 22 1.01x
Halliwell 22 6.30x
Kirkcaldy 22 9.27x
Newington 22 0.74x
Stranton 22 2.72x
Toxteth Park 22 0.68x
Urquhart 22 37.05x
Walsall Foreign 22 1.56x
Manchester 21 0.49x
Wednesbury 21 3.08x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 20 1.43x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 381
Elizabeth 237
Sarah 216
Jane 134
Ann 123
Annie 100
Eliza 98
Margaret 96
Alice 95
Ellen 89
Emma 85
Hannah 68
Emily 64
Martha 54
Harriet 49
Louisa 40
Florence 39
Charlotte 37
Isabella 37
Kate 33
Maria 33
Ada 32
Edith 32
Caroline 30
Frances 30
Fanny 27
Catherine 25
Lucy 24
Anne 23
Susan 22
Esther 21
Amelia 20
Sophia 20
Clara 17
Gertrude 17
Agnes 16
Rebecca 16
Elizth. 15
Harriett 15
Jessie 13
Minnie 13
Lizzie 11
Eleanor 10
Ethel 10
Matilda 10
Rosa 10
Rose 10
Susannah 10
Julia 9
Laura 9

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 376
John 331
George 239
Thomas 219
James 160
Robert 120
Charles 103
Joseph 92
Henry 90
Edward 80
Arthur 67
Samuel 62
Alfred 58
Frederick 53
Walter 43
Richard 37
Albert 34
Edwin 31
David 29
Frank 29
Harry 27
Herbert 27
Ernest 18
Benjamin 14
Francis 14
Thos. 14
Alexander 12
Tom 12
Matthew 11
Andrew 10
Fredrick 10
Adam 9
Edmund 9
Isaac 9
Mark 9
Peter 9
Daniel 8
Fredk. 8
Percy 8
Ralph 8
Wm. 8
Robin 7
Sydney 7
Christopher 6
Geo. 6
Jesse 6
Jonathan 6
Nathan 6
Robt. 6
Stephen 6

FAQ

Hood surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hood surname in 1881?

In 1881, 8,297 people were recorded with the Hood surname. That placed it at #508 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hood surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 10,632 in 2016. That gives Hood a modern rank of #610.

What does the Hood surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who made hoods or lived near a hood-shaped hill or mountain.

What does the Hood map show?

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