NameCensus.

UK surname

Hope

A surname derived from the Old English word "hop," referring to someone who lived in a valley or enclosed hollow.

In the 1881 census there were 10,254 people recorded with the Hope surname, ranking it #419 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 13,916, ranked #457, down from #419 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Northumberland and Stockton-on-Tees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hope is 13,987 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.7%.

1881 census count

10,254

Ranked #419

Modern count

13,916

2016, ranked #457

Peak year

2014

13,987 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hope had 10,254 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #419 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 13,916 in 2016, ranked #457.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 12,609 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hope surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hope surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hope 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 6,469 #423
1861 historical 7,277 #391
1881 historical 10,254 #419
1891 historical 11,159 #402
1901 historical 12,609 #415
1911 historical 12,130 #406
1997 modern 13,284 #459
1998 modern 13,725 #461
1999 modern 13,762 #463
2000 modern 13,720 #460
2001 modern 13,394 #461
2002 modern 13,676 #460
2003 modern 13,358 #458
2004 modern 13,284 #464
2005 modern 13,099 #465
2006 modern 13,089 #465
2007 modern 13,184 #468
2008 modern 13,306 #466
2009 modern 13,636 #466
2010 modern 13,901 #467
2011 modern 13,745 #466
2012 modern 13,428 #467
2013 modern 13,805 #465
2014 modern 13,987 #462
2015 modern 13,877 #463
2016 modern 13,916 #457

Geography

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Where Hopes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Gateshead and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Northumberland and Stockton-on-Tees. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 045 County Durham
2 Northumberland 001 Northumberland
3 County Durham 064 County Durham
4 County Durham 046 County Durham
5 Stockton-on-Tees 012 Stockton-on-Tees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hope

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hope

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Hope is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Hope 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

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

Meaning and origin of Hope

The surname Hope has its origins in England, with records dating back to the late 12th century. The name is derived from the Old English word "hop," which referred to a small valley or hollow. It is believed to have originated as a topographic name, given to individuals who lived in or near such a valley.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Hampshire in 1195, where a William de la Hope is mentioned. This early spelling, "de la Hope," indicates the surname's origins as a locational name, meaning "from the valley."

The surname Hope is also found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive record of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. In this historical document, the name appears as "Hopa" and is associated with various locations across the country.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname began to appear in various forms, such as "Atte Hope," "Atten Hope," and "Aten Hope." These variations suggest the name's evolution and adaptation over time, reflecting regional dialects and spelling preferences.

One notable early bearer of the name was Sir John Hope, a Scottish soldier and landowner who lived in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. He played a significant role in the Wars of Scottish Independence and was a close ally of King Robert the Bruce.

Another prominent figure was Sir Thomas Hope (1573-1646), a Scottish lawyer and Lord Advocate of Scotland. He was known for his legal treatises and his role in the Scottish Reformation.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Hope family became influential in the Netherlands, where they established a successful banking dynasty. Henry Hope (1736-1811) was a prominent Dutch merchant banker and one of the wealthiest men in Europe during his time.

The name also has connections to the Arts and Literature. John Hope (1737-1784) was a Scottish botanist and Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, while Thomas Hope (1770-1831) was a renowned English novelist, artist, and collector.

In the realm of sports, Jack Hope (1882-1963) was an English professional footballer who played for several clubs, including Manchester United and Sheffield Wednesday, in the early 20th century.

These examples illustrate the diverse backgrounds and achievements associated with the surname Hope throughout history, highlighting its enduring presence across various fields and regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hope families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hope 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 1,915 Hopes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.62x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,915 1.62x
Durham 1,020 3.45x
Yorkshire 630 0.64x
Middlesex 608 0.61x
Northumberland 525 3.55x
Cheshire 460 2.10x
Kent 438 1.29x
Cumberland 407 4.75x
Midlothian 360 2.70x
Surrey 342 0.71x
Lanarkshire 317 0.99x
Staffordshire 303 0.90x
Warwickshire 245 0.98x
Sussex 216 1.29x
Roxburghshire 195 10.83x
Gloucestershire 179 0.92x
Dumfriesshire 128 5.83x
Shropshire 118 1.37x
Worcestershire 115 0.89x
Herefordshire 98 2.40x
Selkirkshire 94 10.45x
Peeblesshire 83 17.75x
Oxfordshire 77 1.25x
Berwickshire 74 6.15x
Derbyshire 74 0.48x
Berkshire 71 0.95x
Renfrewshire 68 0.88x
Hampshire 64 0.31x
Wiltshire 64 0.73x
East Lothian 58 4.40x
Ayrshire 53 0.71x
Essex 49 0.25x
Devon 46 0.22x
Fife 43 0.73x
Nottinghamshire 41 0.31x
Radnorshire 38 4.74x
Lincolnshire 37 0.23x
Perthshire 36 0.81x
Caernarfonshire 35 0.87x
Glamorgan 35 0.20x
Kirkcudbrightshire 34 2.36x
Somerset 33 0.21x
Hertfordshire 28 0.41x
Westmorland 24 1.10x
Brecknockshire 23 1.16x
Northamptonshire 21 0.22x
Stirlingshire 21 0.57x
Suffolk 21 0.17x
Clackmannanshire 18 2.19x
West Lothian 17 1.14x
Dunbartonshire 16 0.60x
Leicestershire 16 0.15x
Argyllshire 11 0.40x
Buckinghamshire 11 0.18x
Cambridgeshire 10 0.16x
Cornwall 10 0.09x
Royal Navy 10 0.84x
Norfolk 9 0.06x
Monmouthshire 8 0.11x
Montgomeryshire 8 0.35x
Rutland 8 1.10x
Wigtownshire 8 0.61x
Angus 7 0.08x
Kinross-shire 7 2.79x
Merionethshire 7 0.38x
Aberdeenshire 6 0.07x
Channel Islands 6 0.20x
Denbighshire 6 0.16x
Dorset 6 0.09x
Isle of Man 6 0.33x
Flintshire 5 0.19x
Bedfordshire 4 0.08x
Caithness 4 0.29x
Anglesey 1 0.06x
Buteshire 1 0.17x
Cardiganshire 1 0.04x
Inverness-shire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 129 Hopes recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.41x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 129 2.41x
Birmingham 128 1.53x
Bishopwearmouth 103 4.06x
Worsley 91 12.51x
Gateshead 85 3.84x
Manchester 85 1.60x
Liverpool 81 1.13x
Islington London 77 0.80x
Camberwell 76 1.20x
Westhoughton 73 23.19x
West Derby 68 1.97x
Clayton Le Moors 66 28.83x
Govan 66 0.83x
Barony 61 0.75x
Kensington London 61 1.10x
Salford 60 1.73x
Hexham 58 25.33x
Lambeth 56 0.65x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 56 16.49x
Nantwich 54 21.18x
Wolverhampton 54 2.09x
West Auckland 52 48.08x
Selkirk 51 20.13x
St George Hanover Square 51 2.91x
Bermondsey 49 1.66x
Elswick 48 4.07x
Jedburgh 48 27.20x
Dalkeith 47 17.89x
Glasgow 47 0.82x
Blackrod 46 31.38x
Great Bolton 46 2.94x
Blackburn 45 1.43x
Hammersmith London 44 1.80x
Aston 43 0.62x
Atherton 43 10.01x
Burbage 43 95.94x
Leeds 43 0.77x
Hulme 41 1.66x
Kelso 40 22.29x
Stockton On Tees 40 2.81x
Westleigh 40 14.93x
Brighton 39 1.15x
Chorlton On Medlock 39 2.08x
Holy Trinity 39 1.65x
Monks Coppenhall 39 4.71x
Ramsgate 39 7.04x
Cheetham 38 4.32x
Great Harwood 38 17.82x
Innerleithen 38 30.62x
Everton 36 0.96x
South Leith 36 2.40x
Darlington 35 3.06x
Crawford 34 56.67x
St Pancras London 34 0.42x
Galashiels 33 9.92x
Heaton Norris 33 4.91x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 33 2.58x
Little Bolton 33 2.18x
Bury 32 2.37x
Toxteth Park 31 0.78x
Wrockwardine 31 16.41x
Hackney London 30 0.54x
Wednesfield 30 6.07x
Llanbeblig 29 7.11x
Lowick 29 56.32x
Tynemouth 29 3.66x
Pendleton In Salford 28 1.99x
Penrith 28 8.85x
Dalgety 27 60.05x
Handsworth 27 3.26x
Heap 27 4.32x
Holbeck 27 4.14x
Maidstone 27 2.67x
Clifton 26 29.37x
Kirklinton Middle 26 188.13x
Newcastle On Tyne St 26 3.39x
Padiham 26 9.12x
St Marylebone London 26 0.49x
Tweedmouth 26 14.10x
Crook Billy Row 25 6.60x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 613
Elizabeth 351
Sarah 261
Jane 235
Ann 179
Margaret 156
Alice 147
Annie 121
Ellen 119
Emily 106
Hannah 104
Eliza 100
Emma 94
Martha 77
Harriet 58
Edith 50
Catherine 49
Isabella 48
Maria 46
Frances 42
Louisa 41
Charlotte 39
Caroline 38
Fanny 36
Agnes 35
Anne 34
Esther 29
Clara 28
Kate 28
Amelia 26
Florence 24
Ada 23
Harriett 23
Jessie 22
Lucy 22
Rachel 21
Susan 19
Minnie 18
Eleanor 17
Julia 15
Rose 15
Betsy 14
Elizth. 14
Matilda 14
Ruth 14
Amy 13
Gertrude 13
Margt. 13
Rebecca 13
Sophia 12

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 584
William 475
Thomas 378
James 322
George 289
Henry 182
Joseph 181
Robert 147
Charles 130
Edward 80
Alfred 73
Richard 71
Arthur 69
Frederick 64
Samuel 63
Walter 57
Albert 48
David 45
Harry 33
Peter 29
Herbert 27
Benjamin 26
Ernest 25
Frank 25
Ralph 21
Fred 19
Wm. 19
Edwin 17
Thos. 17
Alexander 16
Daniel 16
Tom 16
Adam 15
Andrew 15
Matthew 14
Francis 13
Jesse 13
Edmund 12
Stephen 12
Christopher 11
Jno. 11
Robt. 11
Geo. 10
Isaac 9
Philip 9
Archibald 8
Chas. 8
Jonathan 8
Michael 8
Fredk. 7

FAQ

Hope surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hope surname in 1881?

In 1881, 10,254 people were recorded with the Hope surname. That placed it at #419 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hope surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 13,916 in 2016. That gives Hope a modern rank of #457.

What does the Hope surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word "hop," referring to someone who lived in a valley or enclosed hollow.

What does the Hope map show?

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