NameCensus.

UK surname

Hook

An occupational surname referring to someone who made or used hooks, often in the fishing industry.

In the 1881 census there were 4,436 people recorded with the Hook surname, ranking it #1,013 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,650, ranked #1,189, down from #1,013 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan, Forest of Dean and West Oxfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hook is 6,124 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.4%.

1881 census count

4,436

Ranked #1,013

Modern count

5,650

2016, ranked #1,189

Peak year

1999

6,124 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hook had 4,436 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,013 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,650 in 2016, ranked #1,189.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,850 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hook surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hook surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Hook 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 2,960 #981
1861 historical 3,134 #921
1881 historical 4,436 #1,013
1891 historical 5,021 #932
1901 historical 5,443 #1,021
1911 historical 5,850 #890
1997 modern 5,853 #1,118
1998 modern 6,106 #1,113
1999 modern 6,124 #1,118
2000 modern 6,064 #1,123
2001 modern 5,929 #1,122
2002 modern 6,018 #1,134
2003 modern 5,826 #1,140
2004 modern 5,780 #1,146
2005 modern 5,600 #1,154
2006 modern 5,577 #1,162
2007 modern 5,571 #1,169
2008 modern 5,557 #1,180
2009 modern 5,690 #1,181
2010 modern 5,814 #1,179
2011 modern 5,703 #1,188
2012 modern 5,629 #1,181
2013 modern 5,724 #1,183
2014 modern 5,767 #1,181
2015 modern 5,683 #1,191
2016 modern 5,650 #1,189

Geography

Back to top

Where Hooks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Edinburgh and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan, Forest of Dean, West Oxfordshire and Caerphilly. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 017 Wigan
2 Forest of Dean 007 Forest of Dean
3 West Oxfordshire 015 West Oxfordshire
4 Caerphilly 002 Caerphilly
5 Forest of Dean 009 Forest of Dean

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Hook

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Hook

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

Hook is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Hook

The surname Hook is of English origin, derived from the Old English word 'hoc', meaning a hook or angle. The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who lived near a hook-shaped bend in a river or road, or who worked as a maker of hooks or other hooked tools.

The earliest known record of the name Hook appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as 'Hoc' in various counties across England. This suggests that the name was already well-established by the time of the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, records show the name spelled as 'Hoke', 'Hooke', and 'Huke', reflecting the various regional dialects of the time. The name was particularly common in the counties of Devon, Somerset, and Gloucestershire, where several places bear the name Hook, such as Hook in Gloucestershire and Hook Norton in Oxfordshire.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Roger Hooke, a prominent landowner in Somerset who lived in the late 12th century. Another notable figure was Robert Hooke (1635-1703), a renowned English scientist and polymath who made significant contributions to various fields, including physics, astronomy, and architecture.

In the 15th century, the name Hook was associated with the medieval English folk hero, Adam Bell, who was said to have lived in the village of Inglewood near Carlisle. According to legend, Bell was a skilled archer and outlaw who defied the authorities and became a Robin Hood-like figure.

Other notable individuals with the surname Hook include Theodore Hook (1788-1841), an English novelist and satirist known for his humorous writings, and Sidney Hook (1902-1989), an American philosopher and prominent figure in the pragmatist movement.

Throughout history, the name Hook has been found in various forms, such as Hooke, Hoke, and Huke, reflecting the evolution of language and regional variations in spelling and pronunciation.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Hook families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hook 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. Kent leads with 630 Hooks recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.27x.

County Total Index
Kent 630 4.27x
Surrey 541 2.57x
Middlesex 490 1.13x
Sussex 417 5.72x
Gloucestershire 349 4.11x
Norfolk 267 4.01x
Yorkshire 208 0.49x
Somerset 174 2.50x
Lancashire 125 0.24x
Devon 118 1.31x
Midlothian 96 1.66x
Durham 95 0.74x
Essex 74 0.87x
Warwickshire 70 0.64x
Monmouthshire 65 2.08x
Worcestershire 65 1.15x
Huntingdonshire 57 6.64x
Suffolk 45 0.85x
Hampshire 42 0.47x
Leicestershire 39 0.81x
Nottinghamshire 38 0.65x
Northumberland 37 0.57x
Berkshire 36 1.11x
Glamorgan 33 0.44x
Herefordshire 33 1.86x
Cambridgeshire 31 1.13x
Lanarkshire 30 0.21x
Buckinghamshire 29 1.11x
Staffordshire 24 0.16x
Wiltshire 23 0.60x
Lincolnshire 21 0.30x
Oxfordshire 15 0.56x
Derbyshire 14 0.21x
Bedfordshire 13 0.58x
Northamptonshire 13 0.32x
Cornwall 11 0.22x
Dorset 11 0.39x
Cheshire 10 0.10x
Roxburghshire 7 0.89x
West Lothian 6 0.92x
Hertfordshire 5 0.17x
Renfrewshire 5 0.15x
Royal Navy 4 0.78x
Perthshire 3 0.15x
Berwickshire 2 0.38x
Cumberland 2 0.05x
Selkirkshire 2 0.51x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.03x
Argyllshire 1 0.08x
Ayrshire 1 0.03x
Channel Islands 1 0.08x
Denbighshire 1 0.06x
Fife 1 0.04x
Flintshire 1 0.09x
Inverness-shire 1 0.08x
Isle of Man 1 0.12x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 75 Hooks recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.99x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 75 1.99x
Camberwell 60 2.17x
Tenterden 56 107.59x
Croydon 55 4.70x
St Pancras London 50 1.44x
Chatham 44 10.84x
Islington London 39 0.93x
Battersea 38 2.39x
Leeds 38 1.57x
Bermondsey 37 2.87x
Birmingham 37 1.02x
Easton 37 994.62x
St George Hanover Square 36 4.72x
Hastings St Mary In The 33 21.21x
Monmouth 32 38.59x
Brighton 31 2.11x
West Dean 31 22.49x
Tonbridge 30 5.64x
Bisley 29 37.72x
Hastings St Clement 29 42.25x
Bitton 28 37.91x
Shoreditch London 28 1.49x
St Marylebone London 28 1.21x
Brenchley 27 51.12x
Deptford St Paul 27 2.37x
Kensington London 27 1.12x
Maidstone 27 6.14x
Lowestoft 26 10.44x
Mangotsfield 26 30.74x
Paddington London 26 1.63x
Bridgewater 25 13.22x
Aston 24 0.80x
Heigham 24 6.72x
Lewisham 23 2.92x
Honiton 22 44.15x
Marshfield 22 97.04x
Brede 21 137.43x
Toxteth Park 21 1.21x
Chelsea London 20 1.53x
Kingston On Thames 20 3.95x
Battle 19 38.59x
Easton In Gordano 19 67.78x
Nottingham St Mary 19 1.26x
Soham 19 32.22x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 18 0.77x
Great Yarmouth 18 3.27x
Hackney London 18 0.74x
West Littleton 18 1200.00x
Beddington 17 20.85x
Gloucester St Nicholas 17 43.27x
Hastings St Leonards 17 15.86x
Radley 17 208.59x
Taynton 17 199.30x
Bedminster 16 2.45x
Bluntisham 16 99.38x
Eastbourne 16 4.77x
Folkestone 16 5.59x
Shenfield 16 72.23x
Westbury On Severn East 16 8.34x
Bedwellty 15 2.72x
Great Paxton 15 387.60x
Hampstead London 15 2.23x
Hendon 15 9.64x
Kimbolton 15 82.87x
St Luke London 15 2.16x
Barony 14 0.40x
Bristol St Michael 14 19.25x
East Teignmouth 14 37.99x
Newington 14 0.88x
Reigate Foreign 14 6.13x
Sidmouth 14 27.16x
West Ham 14 0.74x
Bethnal Green London 13 0.69x
Herstmonceaux 13 59.28x
Llandaff 13 5.19x
Ninfield 13 145.58x
Sheffield 13 0.95x
Snodland 13 31.06x
Southwark St Saviour 13 5.85x
Warbleton 13 59.80x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 235
Elizabeth 168
Sarah 122
Ellen 89
Eliza 84
Ann 77
Jane 76
Alice 74
Annie 69
Emma 69
Emily 53
Charlotte 39
Louisa 38
Maria 38
Harriet 37
Fanny 35
Hannah 35
Kate 29
Martha 29
Caroline 28
Florence 27
Harriett 26
Susan 22
Anne 21
Ada 20
Margaret 20
Rose 20
Edith 18
Frances 18
Sophia 16
Minnie 15
Beatrice 14
Amelia 13
Clara 13
Lucy 12
Matilda 12
Anna 11
Laura 11
Susannah 11
Esther 10
Grace 10
Isabella 10
Amy 9
Bessie 9
Catherine 9
Eleanor 9
Agnes 8
Lydia 8
Bertha 7
Ethel 7

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 241
John 206
George 184
James 136
Thomas 119
Charles 105
Henry 103
Alfred 60
Robert 52
Edward 51
Richard 45
Albert 44
Arthur 44
Joseph 43
Frederick 40
Samuel 33
Walter 32
Harry 29
Herbert 23
Stephen 21
Isaac 20
Frank 18
David 16
Edwin 16
Ernest 16
Benjamin 14
Francis 11
Fred 8
Fredrick 8
Jesse 8
Daniel 7
Edmund 7
Percy 7
Theodore 7
Abraham 6
Chas. 6
Fredk. 6
Wm. 6
Andrew 5
Earnest 5
Harold 5
Tom 5
Frederic 4
G. 4
Joshua 4
Peter 4
Sidney 4
Ben 3
Christopher 3
Spencer 3

FAQ

Hook surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hook surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,436 people were recorded with the Hook surname. That placed it at #1,013 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hook surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,650 in 2016. That gives Hook a modern rank of #1,189.

What does the Hook surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who made or used hooks, often in the fishing industry.

What does the Hook map show?

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