NameCensus.

UK surname

Hool

A surname derived from the German word for hill or hillock.

In the 1881 census there were 115 people recorded with the Hool surname, ranking it #18,230 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 119, ranked #27,704, down from #18,230 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Duffield, Alfreton and Dalton-in-Furness. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ashfield, South Lakeland and Barrow-in-Furness.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hool is 155 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.5%.

1881 census count

115

Ranked #18,230

Modern count

119

2016, ranked #27,704

Peak year

1861

155 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hool had 115 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,230 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 119 in 2016, ranked #27,704.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 155 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Hool surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hool surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hool 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 128 #14,474
1861 historical 155 #14,881
1881 historical 115 #18,230
1891 historical 145 #18,752
1901 historical 117 #20,830
1911 historical 155 #17,485
1997 modern 125 #23,567
1998 modern 138 #22,814
1999 modern 137 #23,083
2000 modern 130 #23,785
2001 modern 130 #23,457
2002 modern 131 #23,793
2003 modern 124 #24,378
2004 modern 128 #24,117
2005 modern 128 #24,076
2006 modern 122 #25,010
2007 modern 125 #24,987
2008 modern 123 #25,505
2009 modern 122 #26,220
2010 modern 128 #26,036
2011 modern 124 #26,367
2012 modern 115 #27,717
2013 modern 118 #27,686
2014 modern 121 #27,503
2015 modern 119 #27,684
2016 modern 119 #27,704

Geography

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Where Hools are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Duffield, Alfreton, Dalton-in-Furness, Preston and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ashfield, South Lakeland and Barrow-in-Furness. 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 Duffield Derbyshire
2 Alfreton Derbyshire
3 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ashfield 011 Ashfield
2 South Lakeland 014 South Lakeland
3 South Lakeland 008 South Lakeland
4 Barrow-in-Furness 005 Barrow-in-Furness
5 Barrow-in-Furness 006 Barrow-in-Furness

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hool

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hool

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Hool surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Hool household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Hool is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Hool 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

Hool falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hool

The surname HOOL is of English origin, with roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "hol," which meant a small hollow or depression in the ground. This suggests that the name may have initially been a toponymic surname, referring to someone who lived near or in a particular hollow or valley.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name HOOL can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Holam" in reference to a place name. This entry provides evidence of the name's existence in England during the 11th century.

As the name evolved over time, various spellings emerged, such as Hool, Hoole, and Hole. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and the scribes who recorded the name in different documents.

In the 13th century, records show a Richard de Hole residing in Staffordshire, England. This provides an early example of the surname's use and its association with a specific location.

During the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the name HOOL was John Hool, a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol. He played an influential role in the city's governance and trade during his lifetime, which spanned from approximately 1420 to 1490.

Another historical figure with the surname HOOL was Obadiah Hool, a Puritan minister born in 1616 in Gloucestershire, England. He emigrated to New England in the 1630s and became a prominent figure in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, serving as a minister in several congregations.

In the 18th century, Thomas Hool (1720-1783) was a renowned English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Church of St. Mary in Nottingham and the Shire Hall in Stafford.

The HOOL surname also had a presence in Scotland, with records indicating that a family by the name of Hool resided in the town of Kinross during the 16th century. One member, Robert Hool, was a respected landowner and local official.

Throughout history, the surname HOOL has been associated with various place names, such as Hool Farm in Staffordshire, Hool Meadow in Gloucestershire, and Hool Hill in Cheshire, further reinforcing its topographical origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hool families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hool 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. Lancashire leads with 52 Hools recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.87x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 52 3.87x
Lincolnshire 24 13.27x
Derbyshire 14 7.90x
Nottinghamshire 10 6.56x
Cheshire 4 1.60x
Worcestershire 3 2.03x
Berkshire 2 2.35x
Middlesex 2 0.18x
Yorkshire 2 0.18x
Cumberland 1 1.03x
Devon 1 0.42x
Warwickshire 1 0.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Grimsby in Lincolnshire leads with 24 Hools recorded in 1881 and an index of 209.06x.

Place Total Index
Great Grimsby 24 209.06x
Barrow In Furness 15 82.15x
Selston 10 588.24x
Alfreton 6 111.52x
Ashton In Makerfield 6 157.07x
Astley 6 576.92x
Dalton In Furness 5 96.53x
Gorton 5 39.62x
Windley 5 7142.86x
Farnworth 4 49.75x
Dudley 3 16.70x
Great Bolton 3 16.87x
Heage 3 319.15x
Skelmersdale 3 133.93x
Oldham 2 4.62x
Sandhurst 2 121.95x
Sheffield 2 5.60x
St Pancras London 2 2.20x
Aldingham 1 222.22x
Aston 1 1.27x
Birkby 1 2500.00x
Bollin Fee 1 90.09x
Chester St Martin 1 250.00x
Manchester 1 1.66x
Nantwich 1 34.48x
Preston 1 2.78x
Tormoham 1 10.03x
Wincham 1 217.39x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Elizabeth 8
Ann 4
Jane 4
Alice 3
Anne 3
Annie 3
Eliza 3
Rebecca 3
Sarah 3
Ellen 2
Isabella 2
Margaret 2
Martha 2
Ada 1
Beidget 1
Clara 1
Emily 1
Ester 1
Hannah 1
Isabel 1
Kate 1
Leathis 1
Lizzie 1
Mabel 1
Sussannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 9
William 9
James 6
Thomas 6
Robert 5
George 4
Joseph 3
Charles 2
Francis 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Richard 1
Roger 1
Willie 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Hool surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hool surname in 1881?

In 1881, 115 people were recorded with the Hool surname. That placed it at #18,230 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hool surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 119 in 2016. That gives Hool a modern rank of #27,704.

What does the Hool surname mean?

A surname derived from the German word for hill or hillock.

What does the Hool map show?

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