NameCensus.

UK surname

Hookway

A locational surname referring to someone from a place with a hooked or curved path.

In the 1881 census there were 575 people recorded with the Hookway surname, ranking it #6,056 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 817, ranked #6,789, down from #6,056 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Giles and Bideford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Torridge, Doncaster and Mid Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hookway is 838 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 42.1%.

1881 census count

575

Ranked #6,056

Modern count

817

2016, ranked #6,789

Peak year

2010

838 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hookway had 575 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,056 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 817 in 2016, ranked #6,789.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 774 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hookway surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hookway surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hookway 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 375 #6,361
1861 historical 342 #7,460
1881 historical 575 #6,056
1891 historical 673 #5,795
1901 historical 752 #5,930
1911 historical 774 #5,608
1997 modern 765 #6,776
1998 modern 824 #6,601
1999 modern 819 #6,671
2000 modern 834 #6,559
2001 modern 812 #6,567
2002 modern 830 #6,581
2003 modern 786 #6,744
2004 modern 779 #6,817
2005 modern 755 #6,921
2006 modern 741 #7,052
2007 modern 760 #6,978
2008 modern 765 #6,992
2009 modern 809 #6,825
2010 modern 838 #6,767
2011 modern 813 #6,843
2012 modern 800 #6,827
2013 modern 825 #6,775
2014 modern 829 #6,788
2015 modern 815 #6,825
2016 modern 817 #6,789

Geography

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Where Hookways are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Giles, Bideford, Cardiff St John and St Mary and St Giles Camberwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Torridge, Doncaster, Mid Devon and Annan East. 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 3
2 St Giles Devon
3 Bideford Devon
4 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire
5 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Torridge 007 Torridge
2 Torridge 004 Torridge
3 Doncaster 003 Doncaster
4 Mid Devon 010 Mid Devon
5 Annan East Dumfries and Galloway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hookway

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hookway

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Hookway 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

Hookway is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hookway falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hookway

The surname Hookway is of English origin, and it first emerged in the early medieval period. The name is derived from a geographical location, specifically a place known as "Hook" or "Hooke," which was a common name for a settlement or hamlet located on a bend or hook in a river or road.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Hookway can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of England, particularly in the counties of Hampshire, Dorset, and Somerset. The name was often spelled in various ways, such as Houkway, Hokeweye, and Hockwaye, reflecting the regional dialects and variations in spelling during that time.

One of the earliest known references to the name Hookway is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Dorset in 1327, where a certain Robert Hockwaye is mentioned as a taxpayer. Additionally, the Hookway surname appears in the Feet of Fines for Somerset in 1408, indicating the presence of families bearing this name in that county.

Notable individuals with the surname Hookway throughout history include:

1. John Hookway (c. 1550-1618), an English yeoman and landowner from Dorset, whose family estate was located near the hamlet of Hook.

2. Thomas Hookway (1628-1696), a merchant and ship owner from Southampton, who played a significant role in the early colonial trade with the Americas.

3. Elizabeth Hookway (1687-1761), a prominent Quaker minister from Somerset, known for her religious writings and advocacy for social reforms.

4. William Hookway (1755-1832), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and participated in several notable battles, including the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

5. James Hookway (1805-1879), a skilled architect and builder from Hampshire, responsible for designing several notable churches and public buildings in the region during the Victorian era.

The surname Hookway has also been associated with various place names and locations throughout England, such as Hookway Farm in Somerset, Hookway Lane in Hampshire, and the village of Hookway in Dorset, which likely derived its name from the same geographical origins as the surname itself.

While the name Hookway is not among the most common surnames in England, it has a rich history and can be traced back to the medieval period, reflecting the diverse origins and geographical influences that have shaped the English language and naming traditions over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hookway families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hookway 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. Devon leads with 336 Hookways recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.68x.

County Total Index
Devon 336 28.68x
Surrey 46 1.68x
Somerset 39 4.30x
Kent 31 1.61x
Glamorgan 28 2.86x
Middlesex 18 0.32x
Cornwall 11 1.73x
Hampshire 11 0.95x
Monmouthshire 11 2.70x
Yorkshire 9 0.16x
Lancashire 8 0.12x
Gloucestershire 6 0.54x
Berkshire 5 1.18x
Norfolk 4 0.46x
Warwickshire 4 0.28x
Cheshire 2 0.16x
Ayrshire 1 0.24x
Channel Islands 1 0.60x
Durham 1 0.06x
Essex 1 0.09x
Hertfordshire 1 0.26x
Oxfordshire 1 0.29x
Royal Navy 1 1.49x
Wiltshire 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bideford in Devon leads with 68 Hookways recorded in 1881 and an index of 541.83x.

Place Total Index
Bideford 68 541.83x
St Giles In The Wood 28 1600.00x
Plymouth St Andrew 23 25.48x
Northam 21 245.90x
Camberwell 19 5.28x
Roath 18 40.44x
West Down 18 1764.71x
Crediton 17 153.15x
Canterbury St Mildred 14 307.02x
Exeter St Sidwell 13 48.45x
Wandsworth 13 23.99x
Uffculme 12 343.84x
Calstock 11 88.00x
Tiverton 11 54.51x
Deptford St Paul 9 6.08x
St Peter Cheesehill 9 552.15x
Bampton 8 222.84x
Exeter Allhallows Onthe 8 1509.43x
Frithelstock 8 733.95x
Warrington 8 10.10x
Aberystruth 7 19.51x
Llantwit Lower 7 81.30x
Roborough 7 909.09x
St Pancras London 7 1.55x
Walcot 7 14.51x
Exeter St Mary Major 6 84.99x
High Bickington 6 451.13x
Kenton 6 162.16x
Sandford 6 209.79x
Bedminster 5 5.87x
Bishops Tawton 5 136.99x
Bow London 5 6.98x
Easton 5 1250.00x
Exeter St Thomas The 5 41.88x
Great Faringdon 5 82.37x
Newington 5 2.40x
West Rounton 5 1190.48x
Dunsford 4 266.67x
Easton In Gordano 4 109.59x
Edgbaston 4 9.09x
Heigham 4 8.61x
Hemyock 4 228.57x
Ilfracombe 4 33.17x
Littleham 4 46.67x
Silverton 4 163.93x
Uplowman 4 519.48x
Woolwich 4 5.64x
Banwell 3 90.63x
Canterbury All Sts 3 434.78x
Cullompton 3 58.59x
Exeter St Paul 3 129.31x
Hunslet 3 3.45x
Lambeth 3 0.61x
Llandaff 3 9.20x
Newport 3 15.46x
Payhembury 3 357.14x
Portishead 3 44.58x
Wellington 3 24.43x
Westleigh 3 312.50x
Alverdiscott 2 384.62x
Bermondsey 2 1.19x
Chilton Trinity 2 625.00x
Exeter St Edmund 2 79.05x
Hackney London 2 0.63x
Liscard 2 8.93x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 1.77x
St Botolph Aldersgate 2 31.01x
Aismunderby Cum 1 63.29x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 2.72x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 1 9.95x
Bristol St Michael 1 10.57x
Devonport 1 7.43x
Enstone 1 46.95x
Exminster 1 23.75x
Hartland 1 27.40x
Saltford 1 117.65x
St Martin 1 9.78x
Tormoham 1 2.02x
Trevethin 1 2.60x
Wraxall 1 57.80x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 43
Elizabeth 28
Jane 14
Alice 10
Annie 10
Eliza 10
Ellen 10
Sarah 9
Bessie 7
Emma 7
Harriet 7
Louisa 7
Ada 6
Ann 6
Fanny 6
Emily 5
Florence 5
Agnes 4
Harriett 4
Maria 4
Amelia 3
Charlotte 3
Clara 3
Edith 3
Hannah 3
Jessie 3
Martha 3
Rosa 3
Susan 3
Beatrice 2
Blanche 2
Elizth. 2
Ella 2
Jennetta 2
Kate 2
Minnie 2
Rebecca 2
Rose 2
Anna 1
Blanch 1
Caroline 1
Emely 1
Ethel 1
Eunice 1
Eva 1
Evelyn 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Lavinia 1
Ursula 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 48
John 31
James 28
George 20
Charles 17
Samuel 15
Henry 13
Robert 13
Thomas 13
Frederick 9
Walter 9
Albert 5
Alfred 5
Arthur 5
Richard 4
Gilbert 3
Harry 3
Edward 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Fredrick 2
Joseph 2
Montague 2
Wm. 2
A.H.C. 1
Augustus 1
Caroline 1
Chas.I. 1
Chas.J.F. 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Ivor 1
Jas.C.W. 1
Jas.W.C. 1
Lemuel 1
Louis 1
M.J.P. 1
Percy 1
Pl.Albert 1
Raymond 1
Stephen 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Hookway surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hookway surname in 1881?

In 1881, 575 people were recorded with the Hookway surname. That placed it at #6,056 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hookway surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 817 in 2016. That gives Hookway a modern rank of #6,789.

What does the Hookway surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from a place with a hooked or curved path.

What does the Hookway map show?

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