NameCensus.

UK surname

Hooton

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "high town" or "raised town".

In the 1881 census there were 1,036 people recorded with the Hooton surname, ranking it #3,791 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,444, ranked #4,252, down from #3,791 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Basford, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and North Meols. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Lindsey, Stockton-on-Tees and East Northamptonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hooton is 1,732 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.4%.

1881 census count

1,036

Ranked #3,791

Modern count

1,444

2016, ranked #4,252

Peak year

1911

1,732 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hooton had 1,036 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,791 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,444 in 2016, ranked #4,252.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,732 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hooton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hooton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hooton 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 799 #3,345
1861 historical 657 #4,081
1881 historical 1,036 #3,791
1891 historical 1,336 #3,261
1901 historical 1,508 #3,402
1911 historical 1,732 #2,834
1997 modern 1,546 #3,811
1998 modern 1,622 #3,793
1999 modern 1,651 #3,760
2000 modern 1,616 #3,814
2001 modern 1,592 #3,794
2002 modern 1,598 #3,857
2003 modern 1,519 #3,956
2004 modern 1,535 #3,923
2005 modern 1,489 #3,986
2006 modern 1,461 #4,059
2007 modern 1,460 #4,094
2008 modern 1,454 #4,125
2009 modern 1,509 #4,099
2010 modern 1,522 #4,147
2011 modern 1,462 #4,217
2012 modern 1,434 #4,227
2013 modern 1,450 #4,253
2014 modern 1,454 #4,273
2015 modern 1,431 #4,282
2016 modern 1,444 #4,252

Geography

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Where Hootons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Basford, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, North Meols, London parishes and Wigan. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Lindsey, Stockton-on-Tees, East Northamptonshire and Newark and Sherwood. 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 Basford Nottinghamshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 North Meols Lancashire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Wigan Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Lindsey 004 West Lindsey
2 Stockton-on-Tees 009 Stockton-on-Tees
3 West Lindsey 006 West Lindsey
4 East Northamptonshire 008 East Northamptonshire
5 Newark and Sherwood 011 Newark and Sherwood

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hooton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hooton

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

London Fringe

Within London, Hooton is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Hooton 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

Hooton falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hooton is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Hooton, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hooton

The surname "HOOTON" has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational surname, derived from one of the several places called Hooton or Hutton, which were named after the Old English words "hoh" meaning a hill or ridge, and "tun" meaning a settlement or enclosure.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Hotone" and "Hotune," referring to locations in Cheshire and Yorkshire. The name was also recorded in various ancient manuscripts and records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire from 1176, which mention a "Robertus de Hotun."

In the 13th century, the name was recorded with spellings like "Hotton" and "Hoton," as seen in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1208 and the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1292, respectively. As time passed, the spelling evolved to its modern form, "HOOTON."

Notable historical figures with the surname "HOOTON" include:

1. Thomas Hooton (c. 1590-1663), an English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Salisbury. 2. William Hooton (1628-1667), an English Puritan minister and author who emigrated to New England. 3. John Hooton (c. 1365-1423), an English politician who served as Sheriff of Yorkshire and represented Ripon in the House of Commons. 4. Elizabeth Hooton (c. 1600-1672), an English Quaker preacher and one of the earliest female ministers in the Society of Friends. 5. Samuel Hooton (1729-1804), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in Yorkshire, including the York County Hospital.

The surname "HOOTON" was also associated with various place names, such as Hooton Pagnell and Hooton Roberts in Yorkshire, Hooton in Cheshire, and Hutton Rudby in North Yorkshire. These place names further reinforce the locational origin of the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hooton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hooton 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 327 Hootons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.73x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 327 2.73x
Nottinghamshire 145 10.67x
Middlesex 103 1.02x
Yorkshire 82 0.82x
Northamptonshire 79 8.33x
Lincolnshire 78 4.84x
Buckinghamshire 34 5.58x
Surrey 32 0.65x
Durham 24 0.80x
Kent 17 0.49x
Bedfordshire 16 3.06x
Hertfordshire 12 1.73x
Hampshire 11 0.53x
Staffordshire 11 0.32x
Cheshire 10 0.45x
Norfolk 9 0.58x
Warwickshire 9 0.35x
Derbyshire 8 0.51x
Midlothian 7 0.52x
Westmorland 7 3.16x
Cambridgeshire 5 0.78x
Essex 2 0.10x
Devon 1 0.05x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.50x
Leicestershire 1 0.09x
Oxfordshire 1 0.16x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.31x
Suffolk 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. North Meols in Lancashire leads with 40 Hootons recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.14x.

Place Total Index
North Meols 40 34.14x
Nottingham St Mary 35 9.95x
Islington London 31 3.17x
Basford 30 47.88x
Snenton 28 52.41x
Bozeat 27 655.34x
Wigan 25 14.95x
Ince In Makerfield 22 39.50x
Olney 19 225.39x
Liverpool 18 2.48x
Oldham 17 4.40x
Croydon 14 5.13x
Everton 14 3.67x
Halliwell 14 32.14x
Toxteth Park 14 3.45x
Shevington 13 237.66x
St Botolph Aldersgate 13 112.36x
Upholland 13 84.75x
Morton In Gainsborough 12 378.55x
Roxton 12 631.58x
Scarisbrick 12 86.39x
Bracebridge 11 149.86x
Great Crosby 11 33.71x
Irthlingborough 11 118.28x
Northampton All Sts 11 34.17x
Radford 11 15.93x
Stockton On Tees 11 7.61x
West Derby 11 3.14x
Bethnal Green London 10 2.28x
Broughton In Salford 10 9.14x
Hemel Hempstead 10 31.92x
St Mary 10 149.70x
Wollaston 10 191.57x
Chorlton On Medlock 9 4.73x
Clerkenwell London 9 3.78x
Lewisham 9 4.90x
Sheffield 9 2.83x
St Pancras London 9 1.11x
Hartlepool 8 18.76x
Huyton With Roby 8 57.06x
Pemberton 8 16.76x
Bowling 7 7.07x
Great Doddington 7 339.81x
Limehouse London 7 6.32x
Newark Upon Trent 7 14.33x
Rusholme 7 21.93x
South Leith 7 4.60x
Warley 7 24.23x
Westhoughton 7 21.92x
Birmingham 6 0.71x
Cromwell 6 1132.08x
Farnworth 6 8.37x
Gainsborough 6 15.78x
Hampstead London 6 3.82x
Hound 6 42.77x
Lambeth 6 0.68x
Nether Graveship 6 283.02x
Ormesby 6 22.34x
Shenley Brook End 6 789.47x
Standish With Langtree 6 40.71x
Wolstanton 6 5.80x
Worksop 6 14.88x
Deptford St Paul 5 1.88x
Dodcott Cum Wilkesley 5 219.30x
Frithville Fishtoft 5 427.35x
Gateshead 5 2.23x
Great Bolton 5 3.15x
Great Grimsby 5 4.88x
Heaton Norris 5 7.34x
Kearsley 5 19.86x
Kimberworth 5 9.01x
Long Eaton 5 23.99x
Newington 5 18.17x
Northampton St Sepulchre 5 10.36x
Sturton Bransby 5 224.22x
Sutton 5 12.46x
Willingham 5 314.47x
Wisbech St Peter 5 15.61x
Stony Stratford East 4 159.36x
Walsoken 4 42.87x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 70
John 66
George 48
James 43
Thomas 42
Henry 25
Charles 17
Richard 15
Edward 12
Alfred 11
Samuel 11
Robert 10
Frederick 9
Harry 9
Joseph 8
Walter 8
Arthur 7
Peter 7
Edwin 6
Nicholas 6
Ernest 4
Frank 4
Fred 4
Herbert 4
Thos. 4
Wm. 4
Albert 3
Chas. 3
Daniel 3
Fredrick 3
Benjamin 2
Dan 2
Earnest 2
Edmund 2
Enoch 2
Francis 2
Geo. 2
Arthur.Dan. 1
Charle 1
Christopher 1
Edwd.C. 1
Edwd.C.G. 1
Elizabeth 1
Isaiah 1
J.E.H. 1
Jabez 1
Jonathan 1
Lansel 1
Levi 1
Zacheus 1

FAQ

Hooton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hooton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,036 people were recorded with the Hooton surname. That placed it at #3,791 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hooton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,444 in 2016. That gives Hooton a modern rank of #4,252.

What does the Hooton surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "high town" or "raised town".

What does the Hooton map show?

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