NameCensus.

UK surname

Horst

A German toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "thicket" or "wooded area."

In the 1881 census there were 66 people recorded with the Horst surname, ranking it #24,256 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 91, ranked #32,109, down from #24,256 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hubberston, Hull Holy Trinity and Walthamstow, Low Leyton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Pembrokeshire, South Gloucestershire and Barking and Dagenham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Horst is 161 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.9%.

1881 census count

66

Ranked #24,256

Modern count

91

2016, ranked #32,109

Peak year

1891

161 bearers

Map years

2

1861 to 1891

Key insights

  • Horst had 66 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,256 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 91 in 2016, ranked #32,109.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 161 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Horst surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Horst surname density by area, 1891 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Horst 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 32 #27,570
1861 historical 159 #14,553
1881 historical 66 #24,256
1891 historical 161 #17,473
1901 historical 85 #24,636
1911 historical 99 #22,850
1997 modern 88 #28,611
1998 modern 98 #27,923
1999 modern 94 #28,593
2000 modern 85 #29,598
2001 modern 85 #29,396
2002 modern 92 #29,040
2003 modern 92 #28,974
2004 modern 92 #29,197
2005 modern 90 #29,527
2006 modern 89 #30,027
2007 modern 87 #30,666
2008 modern 85 #31,247
2009 modern 99 #29,754
2010 modern 101 #30,078
2011 modern 99 #30,218
2012 modern 90 #31,790
2013 modern 93 #31,785
2014 modern 94 #31,909
2015 modern 90 #32,245
2016 modern 91 #32,109

Geography

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Where Horsts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hubberston, Hull Holy Trinity, Walthamstow, Low Leyton, Birstall and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Pembrokeshire, South Gloucestershire, Barking and Dagenham and Thurrock. 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 Hubberston Pembrokeshire
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 Walthamstow, Low Leyton Essex
4 Birstall Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Pembrokeshire 012 Pembrokeshire
2 South Gloucestershire 002 South Gloucestershire
3 Barking and Dagenham 012 Barking and Dagenham
4 Barking and Dagenham 014 Barking and Dagenham
5 Thurrock 001 Thurrock

Forenames

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First names often paired with Horst

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Horst

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Horst surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Horst 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Horst is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Horst is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Horst falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Horst

The surname Horst originated in Germany and is derived from the Old German words "hurst" or "horst," meaning a small wooded hill or a thicket of trees. It is believed to have been used as a topographic name for someone who lived near or on a small wooded hill or a thicket.

The earliest known record of the surname Horst dates back to the 13th century, where it appeared in various medieval records and manuscripts from regions such as Saxony, Westphalia, and the Rhineland. Some of the earliest known bearers of the name include Henricus de Horst, who was mentioned in records from Cologne in 1275, and Conradus Horst, who was recorded in the town of Quedlinburg in 1292.

Over time, the surname Horst also became associated with various place names, such as Horst in the Netherlands, Horst in Saxony-Anhalt, and Horst in North Rhine-Westphalia, among others. The name was also found in various spellings, including Horste, Horsten, and Horster.

Several notable individuals throughout history have borne the surname Horst. One of the earliest recorded was Johann Horst (c. 1370-1428), a German theologian and philosopher who served as the rector of the University of Heidelberg. Another prominent bearer of the name was Pieter Horst (1516-1567), a Dutch painter and engraver who was known for his religious and mythological works.

In the 19th century, the name gained further prominence with individuals such as Jacobus Marinus van der Horst (1835-1904), a Dutch politician and Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 1891 to 1894, and Gregor Ferdinand Horst (1805-1876), a German jurist and politician who served as the Minister of Justice for Prussia.

Another notable figure was Herman Horst (1886-1967), a Dutch-American architect who designed several prominent buildings in New York City, including the Raleigh Hotel and the Knickerbocker Hotel. Additionally, Janny ter Horst (1911-1943) was a Dutch resistance fighter during World War II who was executed by the Nazi regime for her involvement in the Dutch resistance movement.

These are just a few examples of individuals who have borne the surname Horst throughout history, highlighting its rich heritage and diverse geographic origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Horst families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Horst 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. Yorkshire leads with 19 Horsts recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.98x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 19 2.98x
Lancashire 14 1.83x
Middlesex 12 1.86x
Essex 7 5.51x
Kent 3 1.37x
Surrey 3 0.96x
Devon 2 1.49x
Northamptonshire 2 3.30x
Berkshire 1 2.07x
Lincolnshire 1 0.97x
Midlothian 1 1.16x
Wiltshire 1 1.76x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sculcoates in Yorkshire leads with 11 Horsts recorded in 1881 and an index of 108.80x.

Place Total Index
Sculcoates 11 108.80x
West Derby 8 35.81x
Walthamstow 7 153.17x
Hulme 6 37.64x
St Pancras London 5 9.65x
Middlesbrough 4 48.19x
Mile End Old Town London 4 29.20x
Holy Trinity 3 19.56x
Islington London 3 4.81x
Cosgrove 2 1428.57x
Margate St John Baptist 2 49.75x
Camberwell 1 2.43x
Exeter Heavitree 1 100.00x
Exeter St Edmund 1 344.83x
Folkestone 1 23.47x
Owston 1 344.83x
Reigate Borough 1 138.89x
South Leith 1 10.31x
Southcoates 1 28.25x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 7.72x
Warminster 1 80.00x
Wasing 1 5000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Clara 3
Ann 2
Elizabeth 2
Emma 2
Henrietta 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Anna 1
Christine 1
E.B.Margaret 1
Georgiana 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Leonora 1
M.C.Wilhelmina 1
Margaretta 1
Martha 1
Maude 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 5
George 3
Richard 3
Christian 2
Ernest 2
Henry 2
Joshua 2
William 2
Arthur 1
Carl 1
Edgar 1
Ernst 1
Hans 1
Harry 1
Horace 1
Robert 1
Tom 1
Wilhelm 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Horst surname: questions and answers

How common was the Horst surname in 1881?

In 1881, 66 people were recorded with the Horst surname. That placed it at #24,256 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Horst surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 91 in 2016. That gives Horst a modern rank of #32,109.

What does the Horst surname mean?

A German toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "thicket" or "wooded area."

What does the Horst map show?

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