NameCensus.

UK surname

Horrocks

Derived from a place name meaning "dirty or muddy rocks" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 3,676 people recorded with the Horrocks surname, ranking it #1,239 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,705, ranked #1,838, down from #1,239 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Bury and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolton and Rossendale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Horrocks is 4,435 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.8%.

1881 census count

3,676

Ranked #1,239

Modern count

3,705

2016, ranked #1,838

Peak year

1901

4,435 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Horrocks had 3,676 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,239 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,705 in 2016, ranked #1,838.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,435 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Horrocks surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Horrocks surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Horrocks 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 2,038 #1,423
1861 historical 1,889 #1,533
1881 historical 3,676 #1,239
1891 historical 3,640 #1,318
1901 historical 4,435 #1,282
1911 historical 4,370 #1,179
1997 modern 3,886 #1,670
1998 modern 3,890 #1,731
1999 modern 4,000 #1,700
2000 modern 3,954 #1,717
2001 modern 3,927 #1,683
2002 modern 3,945 #1,718
2003 modern 3,846 #1,728
2004 modern 3,746 #1,769
2005 modern 3,723 #1,758
2006 modern 3,704 #1,770
2007 modern 3,730 #1,767
2008 modern 3,755 #1,766
2009 modern 3,837 #1,770
2010 modern 3,885 #1,787
2011 modern 3,859 #1,776
2012 modern 3,693 #1,825
2013 modern 3,749 #1,828
2014 modern 3,781 #1,826
2015 modern 3,731 #1,827
2016 modern 3,705 #1,838

Geography

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Where Horrocks' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Bury, Manchester, Bolton-le-Moors and Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolton and Rossendale. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Bury Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
5 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolton 017 Bolton
2 Bolton 028 Bolton
3 Bolton 031 Bolton
4 Rossendale 004 Rossendale
5 Bolton 012 Bolton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Horrocks

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Horrocks

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Horrocks 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

Horrocks is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Horrocks 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 Horrocks is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Horrocks

The surname Horrocks is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "horu" meaning dirt or mud, and "occa" referring to a ridge or hill. It is believed to have originated in the Lancashire region of England during the medieval period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Horrocks can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire from 1332, where it appears as "Horroks". This suggests that the name had already been established in the area by the 14th century.

The Horrocks name is also mentioned in the Register of the Gild of the Holy Trinity in Coventry from 1392, indicating that members of the family had migrated to other parts of England by the late Middle Ages.

In the 16th century, the Horrocks surname appears in various records, including the Feet of Fines for Lancashire from 1557, where it is spelled "Horrokes". This document refers to land transactions involving individuals with the Horrocks name.

One notable individual with the Horrocks surname was Thomas Horrocks (c. 1530-1589), a Catholic priest and martyr who was executed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I for his religious beliefs.

In the 17th century, the Horrocks family continued to be prominent in Lancashire. John Horrocks (1619-1677) was a mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of the transit of Venus across the sun.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Horrocks name spread further throughout England and beyond. Samuel Horrocks (1768-1848) was a successful textile manufacturer and mill owner in Preston, Lancashire, who played a role in the industrialization of the region.

Another notable figure was James Horrocks (1819-1887), a British army officer who served in the Crimean War and the Indian Rebellion of 1857. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery in battle.

Peter Horrocks (1942-2019) was a British journalist and television executive who served as the director of the BBC World Service and the head of the BBC's newsroom in later years.

These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have carried the Horrocks surname, which has its roots in the medieval Lancashire region of England and has since spread across the English-speaking world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Horrocks families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Horrocks 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 3,257 Horrocks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.65x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 3,257 7.65x
Yorkshire 132 0.37x
Cheshire 128 1.62x
Surrey 31 0.18x
Middlesex 21 0.06x
Warwickshire 18 0.20x
Derbyshire 16 0.28x
Kent 16 0.13x
Cumberland 8 0.26x
Sussex 8 0.13x
Durham 7 0.07x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.14x
Staffordshire 6 0.05x
Glamorgan 4 0.06x
Hampshire 4 0.05x
Isle of Man 4 0.60x
Berkshire 2 0.07x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.25x
Suffolk 2 0.05x
Dorset 1 0.04x
Essex 1 0.01x
Leicestershire 1 0.03x
Royal Navy 1 0.23x
Shropshire 1 0.03x
Somerset 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Little Bolton in Lancashire leads with 247 Horrocks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 45.11x.

Place Total Index
Little Bolton 247 45.11x
Great Bolton 179 31.73x
Bury 176 36.18x
Wigan 117 19.66x
Oldham 105 7.64x
Salford 89 7.11x
Pendleton In Salford 88 17.34x
Tottington Lower End 85 42.00x
Manchester 74 3.86x
Halliwell 72 46.46x
Heap 65 28.78x
Elton 59 40.10x
Ashton Under Lyne 56 6.02x
Farnworth 53 20.77x
Pilkington 53 32.76x
Walmersley Cum 50 73.49x
Radcliffe 48 23.38x
Ince In Makerfield 46 23.21x
Westhoughton 44 38.72x
Tonge 40 44.77x
Rumworth 39 64.08x
Ainsworth 37 224.38x
Blackley 37 49.56x
Turton 36 51.63x
Tonge With Haulgh 35 42.22x
Newton 34 10.36x
Ardwick 33 8.59x
Bedford 33 37.05x
Dukinfield 33 9.01x
Everton 32 2.36x
Liverpool 32 1.24x
Gorton 31 7.74x
Hulme 29 3.26x
Accrington 27 6.97x
Harwood 27 121.35x
Castleton 26 6.11x
Middleton In Oldham 25 19.58x
Pemberton 25 14.72x
Newchurch 24 6.89x
Chorlton On Medlock 23 3.40x
Heaton Norris 23 9.49x
Middle Hulton 23 91.20x
Broughton In Salford 22 5.65x
Cheetham 22 6.93x
Church 22 36.59x
Pennington In Leigh 22 26.92x
Horton In Bradford 21 3.78x
North Meols 21 5.04x
Openshaw 21 10.53x
West Derby 21 1.69x
Westleigh 21 21.71x
Blatchinworth 20 20.63x
Preston 20 1.76x
Prestwich 20 18.83x
Blackburn 18 1.59x
Cheadle 18 11.90x
Hindley 18 9.91x
Birkdale 16 14.85x
Little Heaton 16 157.33x
Heaton 15 83.52x
Over Darwen 15 4.41x
Bradshaw 14 150.70x
Chadderton 14 6.72x
Tottington Higher End 14 28.88x
Crumpsall 13 12.95x
Stockport Etchells 13 77.01x
Walton Le Dale 13 11.36x
Wardleworth 13 5.34x
Wheelton 13 68.24x
Great Heaton 12 259.74x
Haslingden 12 6.81x
Lathom 12 23.34x
North Bierley 12 6.25x
Spotland 12 2.53x
Stretford 12 5.12x
Croydon 11 1.13x
Droylsden 11 7.92x
Great Lever 11 24.35x
Kirkby 11 63.81x
Lostock 11 114.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 306
Elizabeth 171
Sarah 167
Alice 116
Ann 99
Ellen 80
Jane 77
Margaret 74
Hannah 50
Emma 49
Eliza 47
Martha 46
Annie 44
Emily 33
Esther 22
Ada 20
Betsy 20
Harriet 20
Maria 18
Nancy 18
Catherine 17
Betty 16
Rachel 16
Charlotte 15
Amelia 12
Clara 12
Elizth. 12
Frances 11
Lucy 11
Susannah 11
Bertha 10
Edith 9
Fanny 9
Isabella 9
Beatrice 8
Florence 8
Agnes 7
Anne 7
Bridget 6
Grace 6
Henrietta 6
Harriett 5
Phoebe 5
Ruth 5
Amy 4
Caroline 4
Eleanor 4
Margret 4
Rhoda 4
Rose 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 287
William 225
James 204
Thomas 154
Samuel 79
Joseph 78
George 75
Henry 54
Robert 52
Richard 34
Edward 30
Albert 27
Alfred 27
Charles 25
Wm. 19
Harry 18
Arthur 13
Frank 13
David 11
Frederick 11
Herbert 11
Walter 11
Adam 10
Jas. 10
Daniel 9
Fred 9
Jno. 9
Peter 9
Thos. 9
Edwin 8
Isaac 8
Edmund 6
Joshua 6
Benjamin 5
Ellis 5
Reuben 5
Abraham 4
Geo. 4
Harold 4
Jacob 4
Lawrence 4
Ernest 3
Fredk. 3
Isaiah 3
Jonas 3
Matthew 3
Philip 3
Ralph 3
Sam 3
Squire 3

FAQ

Horrocks surname: questions and answers

How common was the Horrocks surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,676 people were recorded with the Horrocks surname. That placed it at #1,239 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Horrocks surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,705 in 2016. That gives Horrocks a modern rank of #1,838.

What does the Horrocks surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "dirty or muddy rocks" in Old English.

What does the Horrocks map show?

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