NameCensus.

UK surname

Horsham

An English habitational surname derived from the town of Horsham in West Sussex.

In the 1881 census there were 222 people recorded with the Horsham surname, ranking it #12,022 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 256, ranked #16,534, down from #12,022 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Kenton, Alphington, Dawlish and Eastington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Southampton, Torridge and Kirklees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Horsham is 312 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.3%.

1881 census count

222

Ranked #12,022

Modern count

256

2016, ranked #16,534

Peak year

1911

312 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Horsham had 222 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,022 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 256 in 2016, ranked #16,534.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 312 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Horsham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Horsham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Horsham 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 110 #16,093
1861 historical 205 #11,769
1881 historical 222 #12,022
1891 historical 243 #13,011
1901 historical 266 #12,617
1911 historical 312 #11,130
1997 modern 272 #14,451
1998 modern 277 #14,646
1999 modern 285 #14,438
2000 modern 280 #14,601
2001 modern 278 #14,444
2002 modern 289 #14,341
2003 modern 284 #14,331
2004 modern 290 #14,178
2005 modern 279 #14,480
2006 modern 276 #14,700
2007 modern 272 #14,994
2008 modern 270 #15,219
2009 modern 262 #15,888
2010 modern 251 #16,749
2011 modern 251 #16,589
2012 modern 256 #16,253
2013 modern 257 #16,466
2014 modern 258 #16,554
2015 modern 254 #16,608
2016 modern 256 #16,534

Geography

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Where Horshams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Kenton, Alphington, Dawlish, Eastington, Dunsford and Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Southampton, Torridge, Kirklees and Welwyn Hatfield. 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 Kenton, Alphington, Dawlish Devon
3 Eastington Gloucestershire
4 Dunsford Devon
5 Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Southampton 028 Southampton
2 Torridge 004 Torridge
3 Kirklees 002 Kirklees
4 Southampton 031 Southampton
5 Welwyn Hatfield 016 Welwyn Hatfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Horsham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Horsham

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

Baseline UK

Group

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

Nationally, the Horsham surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Multicultural Inner Suburbs, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Horsham household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Horsham is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Horsham is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Horsham

The surname Horsham is of English origin, derived from the town of Horsham in West Sussex. The name is believed to have originated in the 8th or 9th century, during the Anglo-Saxon period in England.

Horsham is thought to be derived from the Old English words "hors" meaning horse and "ham" meaning homestead or village. This suggests that the name may have referred to a settlement or homestead where horses were kept or bred.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Horsham can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled "Horsham." This entry provides evidence that the name and the town existed during the Norman Conquest of England.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named William de Horsham was recorded as a canon of Chichester Cathedral. Another early record is of John Horsham, who was a member of the Parliament of England in 1334.

During the 15th century, a prominent individual named Thomas Horsham was a merchant and alderman in the city of London. He lived from around 1420 to 1489.

In the 16th century, Richard Horsham was a clergyman and the vicar of Rudgwick, a village near Horsham in West Sussex. He lived from approximately 1520 to 1582.

In the 17th century, William Horsham was a notable figure who served as the Mayor of Horsham in 1666. He played a role in rebuilding the town after the devastating fire of 1663.

Throughout history, the surname Horsham has also been associated with various place names, such as Horsham in Norfolk, England, and Horsham in Victoria, Australia, which was named after the town in Sussex.

While the name Horsham is most commonly found in England, particularly in the southern counties, it has also spread to other parts of the world through emigration and migration.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Horsham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Horsham 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 129 Horshams recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.24x.

County Total Index
Devon 129 28.24x
Kent 18 2.40x
Gloucestershire 13 3.02x
Middlesex 11 0.50x
Surrey 11 1.03x
Buckinghamshire 10 7.54x
Glamorgan 6 1.57x
Lanarkshire 5 0.70x
Channel Islands 3 4.61x
Lancashire 3 0.12x
Somerset 3 0.85x
Staffordshire 3 0.40x
Cheshire 2 0.41x
Essex 2 0.46x
Cornwall 1 0.40x
Flintshire 1 1.69x
Hertfordshire 1 0.66x
Lincolnshire 1 0.29x
Norfolk 1 0.30x
Northumberland 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Damerel in Devon leads with 20 Horshams recorded in 1881 and an index of 62.54x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Damerel 20 62.54x
Dunsford 19 3275.86x
Plymouth St Andrew 15 42.63x
Chatham 10 48.54x
Plymstock 9 376.57x
Dawlish 8 234.60x
Bermondsey 6 9.18x
Combeinteignhead 6 1818.18x
Cullompton 6 301.51x
Exeter St Sidwell 6 57.36x
Paignton 6 172.41x
Glasgow 5 3.97x
Little Marlow 5 684.93x
Stroud 5 59.67x
West Teignmouth 5 142.86x
Wooburn 5 273.22x
Cardiff St John 4 32.05x
Exeter St Mary Major 4 145.45x
Greenwich 4 11.45x
St George In East London 4 19.38x
Totnes 4 149.81x
Chagford 3 275.23x
Cheltenham 3 9.03x
Plymouth Charles The 3 14.90x
St Budeaux 3 211.27x
St Sampson 3 102.39x
Uttoxeter 3 79.16x
Bridford 2 606.06x
Camberwell 2 1.43x
Chevening 2 243.90x
Limehouse London 2 8.30x
Llanwonno 2 14.57x
Manchester 2 1.71x
Poplar London 2 4.83x
Sidbury 2 204.08x
Stonehouse 2 81.63x
Wandsworth 2 9.47x
West Ham 2 2.09x
Wheatenhurst 2 740.74x
Aisholt 1 1111.11x
Broad Clist 1 63.29x
Churston Ferrers 1 208.33x
Clist St George 1 500.00x
Exeter Heavitree 1 29.33x
Exminster 1 60.98x
Great Grimsby 1 4.49x
Hawarden 1 21.60x
Heigham 1 5.52x
Higher Bebington 1 32.26x
Kelly 1 588.24x
Kensington London 1 0.82x
Kingsbridge 1 86.96x
Lambeth 1 0.52x
Little Dean 1 161.29x
Longbenton 1 7.23x
Marton In Whitegate 1 192.31x
Marytavy 1 149.25x
Minster In Sheppey 1 8.06x
Norton St Philip 1 263.16x
Paddington London 1 1.24x
Salford 1 1.31x
Spaxton 1 144.93x
St Peters 1 28.90x
St Thomas Apostle 1 129.87x
Watford 1 8.53x
Whitechapel London 1 4.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Elizabeth 10
Sarah 7
Emma 6
Eliza 5
Jane 5
Ellen 4
Louisa 4
Alice 3
Bessie 3
Caroline 3
Anna 2
Annie 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Hannah 2
Maria 2
Agnes 1
Alex 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Carry 1
Charity 1
Charlot 1
Clarissa 1
Comelia 1
Eliz.Ann 1
Eva 1
Feeby 1
Florence 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Jessie 1
Katura 1
Lilly 1
Margaret 1
Minnie 1
Miriam 1
Mitulda 1
Naomi 1
Nellie 1
Pheobe 1
Rebecca 1
Sally 1
Susan 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 17
John 14
James 13
George 8
Alfred 5
Andrew 5
Richard 5
Albert 3
Edward 3
Joseph 3
Frederick 2
Fredrick 2
Harry 2
Phillip 2
Robert 2
... 1
Aaron 1
Arthur 1
Chas.F. 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Enoch 1
Ephraim 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Henry 1
N. 1
Nicholas 1
Philip 1
Samuel 1
Walter 1
Willie 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Horsham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Horsham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 222 people were recorded with the Horsham surname. That placed it at #12,022 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Horsham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 256 in 2016. That gives Horsham a modern rank of #16,534.

What does the Horsham surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from the town of Horsham in West Sussex.

What does the Horsham map show?

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