NameCensus.

UK surname

Hookham

An English locational surname referring to someone originally from Hookham or Hockham, England.

In the 1881 census there were 331 people recorded with the Hookham surname, ranking it #9,071 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 324, ranked #13,966, down from #9,071 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Toddenham, Rickmansworth and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Huntingdonshire, Eastbourne and South Gloucestershire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hookham is 456 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.1%.

1881 census count

331

Ranked #9,071

Modern count

324

2016, ranked #13,966

Peak year

1901

456 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hookham had 331 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,071 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 324 in 2016, ranked #13,966.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 456 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Hookham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hookham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hookham 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 211 #9,997
1861 historical 165 #14,112
1881 historical 331 #9,071
1891 historical 401 #8,860
1901 historical 456 #8,624
1911 historical 427 #8,843
1997 modern 302 #13,459
1998 modern 347 #12,607
1999 modern 361 #12,347
2000 modern 364 #12,223
2001 modern 365 #12,014
2002 modern 368 #12,168
2003 modern 340 #12,685
2004 modern 345 #12,571
2005 modern 330 #12,939
2006 modern 319 #13,318
2007 modern 326 #13,260
2008 modern 326 #13,374
2009 modern 332 #13,458
2010 modern 329 #13,818
2011 modern 348 #13,134
2012 modern 331 #13,538
2013 modern 338 #13,508
2014 modern 337 #13,659
2015 modern 322 #14,023
2016 modern 324 #13,966

Geography

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Where Hookhams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Toddenham, Rickmansworth, London parishes, St Ives and Hemingford Grey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Huntingdonshire, Eastbourne, South Gloucestershire, Bromley and Gwynedd. 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 Toddenham Warwickshire
2 Rickmansworth Hertfordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Ives Huntingdonshire
5 Hemingford Grey Huntingdonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Huntingdonshire 016 Huntingdonshire
2 Eastbourne 004 Eastbourne
3 South Gloucestershire 018 South Gloucestershire
4 Bromley 012 Bromley
5 Gwynedd 011 Gwynedd

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hookham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hookham

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Hookham surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hookham household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Hookham is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hookham is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hookham falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hookham

The surname Hookham originated in England during the late medieval period, specifically in the counties of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. It is derived from the Old English words "hoc" meaning hook and "ham" meaning homestead or village, suggesting that the name referred to someone who lived near a hooked or bent area of land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Hookham surname dates back to the 13th century, where it appears in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1273. This document lists individuals named Hookham as landowners or tenants in various villages throughout the county.

In the 15th century, the Hookham surname can be found in the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence from the wealthy Paston family of Norfolk. This suggests that individuals bearing this name had established themselves in other regions of eastern England by this time.

The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the Hookham surname. However, it does mention several place names that may have influenced the development of the name, such as Hockerill in Hertfordshire and Hook in Hampshire.

Notable individuals with the Hookham surname include:

1. Thomas Hookham (c. 1580 - 1647), an English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers in London. 2. William Hookham (1668 - 1739), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Trowbridge in Wiltshire. 3. Mary Anne Hookham (1787 - 1857), an English writer and novelist known for her works "Life and Adventures of Mrs. Christian Davies" and "The Widow's Victim." 4. John Hookham Frere (1769 - 1846), an English diplomat, writer, and philologist who served as the British Envoy to Portugal and Spain. 5. Robert Hookham (1783 - 1853), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, including "The Life of Christ" and "The Christian's Manual."

While the Hookham surname may have originated from a specific geographic location, it eventually spread across England and beyond, with individuals bearing this name making notable contributions in various fields throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hookham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hookham 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 54 Hookhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.66x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 54 1.66x
Sussex 41 7.46x
Kent 40 3.60x
Gloucestershire 30 4.70x
Lincolnshire 30 5.76x
Yorkshire 24 0.74x
Hertfordshire 22 9.80x
Surrey 20 1.26x
Worcestershire 15 3.53x
Oxfordshire 14 6.96x
Huntingdonshire 10 15.46x
Lancashire 9 0.23x
Wiltshire 6 2.08x
Berkshire 5 2.04x
Warwickshire 5 0.61x
Monmouthshire 3 1.27x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.68x
Royal Navy 2 5.15x
Devon 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Eastbourne in Sussex leads with 40 Hookhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 158.23x.

Place Total Index
Eastbourne 40 158.23x
Rickmansworth 19 307.44x
Stow On The Wold 16 1126.76x
Islington London 14 4.43x
Kings Norton 13 34.08x
Greenwich 11 21.21x
Oxford St Ebbe 11 185.81x
Hemingford Grey 10 1010.10x
Todenham 10 2777.78x
Battersea 8 6.67x
Clapham 8 19.64x
Deptford St Paul 8 9.33x
Wortley In Bramley 8 31.29x
Walmer 7 144.93x
Winteringham 7 933.33x
Chelsea London 6 6.11x
Ulceby 6 472.44x
Willesden 6 19.54x
Aston 5 2.21x
Deal 5 52.74x
Reading St Mary 5 25.52x
Sculcoates 5 9.77x
Swindon 5 22.37x
Tottenham 5 9.64x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 4 36.23x
Chiswick 4 22.47x
Hougham 4 60.51x
Moreton In Marsh 4 250.00x
Shoreditch London 4 2.83x
St Martin In Fields 4 20.51x
Bonby 3 666.67x
Drypool 3 60.73x
Newchurch 3 9.48x
Newington 3 2.49x
Nottingham St Mary 3 2.64x
St Pancras London 3 1.14x
St Woollos 3 11.42x
Urmston 3 119.52x
Wootton 3 461.54x
Croxton 2 1538.46x
Hunslet 2 3.97x
Kensington London 2 1.10x
Kidderminster Borough 2 8.03x
Lewisham 2 3.37x
Messingham 2 158.73x
Royal Navy 2 6.03x
Sheffield 2 1.95x
Spotland 2 4.65x
St Giles In Fields London 2 12.52x
St Marylebone London 2 1.15x
Thornton Curtis 2 377.36x
Woolvercot 2 243.90x
Barrow On Humber 1 33.11x
Brickendon 1 96.15x
Broughton 1 68.49x
Dover St Mary Virgin 1 9.29x
Eythorne 1 192.31x
Fulham London 1 2.12x
Hemel Hempstead 1 9.88x
Hibaldstow 1 112.36x
Hulme 1 1.24x
Lydd 1 42.02x
Oxford St Clement 1 19.69x
Plymouth Charles The 1 3.35x
Scawby 1 58.14x
Southwark St Thomas 1 114.94x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.74x
Twigmoor 1 1666.67x
Watford 1 5.74x
Westham 1 89.29x
Wootton Bassett 1 39.84x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Elizabeth 11
Emma 10
Sarah 10
Alice 9
Ann 7
Eliza 6
Ellen 5
Fanny 4
Louisa 4
Martha 4
Annie 3
Edith 3
Florence 3
Laura 3
Susannah 3
Amy 2
Catherine 2
Esther 2
Frances 2
Hannah 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Lizzie 2
Mable 2
Maria 2
Sophia 2
Susan 2
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Beatrice 1
Bridget 1
Caroline 1
Cecilia 1
Charlotte 1
E.M. 1
Elizth. 1
Gwenllian 1
Harriet 1
Isabel 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Jomiah 1
Laverna 1
Lilian 1
Lydia 1
Marian 1
Marie 1
Matilda 1
May 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 23
Henry 14
George 13
James 11
John 10
Alfred 7
Charles 7
Thomas 7
Francis 6
Frederick 6
Joseph 6
Walter 6
Edward 4
Mark 4
Richard 4
Robert 4
Harold 3
Albert 2
Arthur 2
David 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Fredk. 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Samuel 2
Aurthur 1
Benjamin 1
Burton 1
Cecil 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
E. 1
Earnest 1
Edwin 1
Frederic 1
Fredk.Wm. 1
Fredrick 1
G.W. 1
Harrison 1
Horace 1
Jos. 1
Paul 1
Philip 1
Solomon 1

FAQ

Hookham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hookham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 331 people were recorded with the Hookham surname. That placed it at #9,071 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hookham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 324 in 2016. That gives Hookham a modern rank of #13,966.

What does the Hookham surname mean?

An English locational surname referring to someone originally from Hookham or Hockham, England.

What does the Hookham map show?

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