NameCensus.

UK surname

Horstead

In the 1881 census there were 120 people recorded with the Horstead surname, ranking it #17,756 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 179, ranked #21,086, down from #17,756 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju, London parishes and Willesden. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Breckland, New Forest and Lincoln.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Horstead is 199 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 49.2%.

1881 census count

120

Ranked #17,756

Modern count

179

2016, ranked #21,086

Peak year

2002

199 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Horstead had 120 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,756 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 179 in 2016, ranked #21,086.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 193 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Horstead surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Horstead surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Horstead 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 71 #20,875
1861 historical 92 #22,112
1881 historical 120 #17,756
1891 historical 133 #19,870
1901 historical 168 #16,886
1911 historical 193 #15,294
1997 modern 197 #17,792
1998 modern 193 #18,511
1999 modern 186 #19,073
2000 modern 195 #18,494
2001 modern 192 #18,388
2002 modern 199 #18,350
2003 modern 197 #18,311
2004 modern 198 #18,308
2005 modern 187 #18,924
2006 modern 187 #19,079
2007 modern 185 #19,402
2008 modern 185 #19,589
2009 modern 193 #19,463
2010 modern 190 #20,087
2011 modern 181 #20,579
2012 modern 186 #20,141
2013 modern 188 #20,352
2014 modern 181 #21,033
2015 modern 174 #21,449
2016 modern 179 #21,086

Geography

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Where Horsteads are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju, London parishes, Willesden, Aylsham and Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Breckland, New Forest, Lincoln, Sheffield and Tewkesbury. 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 St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju Norfolk
2 London parishes London 1
3 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
4 Aylsham Norfolk
5 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Breckland 001 Breckland
2 New Forest 013 New Forest
3 Lincoln 007 Lincoln
4 Sheffield 040 Sheffield
5 Tewkesbury 005 Tewkesbury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Horstead

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Horstead

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

Professional Periphery

Within London, Horstead is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Horstead is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Horstead falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Horstead families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Horstead 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. Middlesex leads with 32 Horsteads recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.73x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 32 2.73x
Norfolk 24 13.34x
Lincolnshire 21 11.22x
Northamptonshire 13 11.81x
Yorkshire 13 1.12x
Surrey 12 2.10x
Lancashire 3 0.22x
Kent 1 0.25x
Sussex 1 0.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Scawby in Lincolnshire leads with 16 Horsteads recorded in 1881 and an index of 2580.65x.

Place Total Index
Scawby 16 2580.65x
Glaphorn 13 8666.67x
Kensington London 11 16.90x
Goole 7 360.82x
Rotherhithe 7 48.41x
Hackney London 6 9.14x
Norwich St Peter 6 508.47x
Battersea 5 11.61x
St Pancras London 5 5.31x
Aylsham 4 373.83x
Lakenham 4 156.25x
Norwich St Giles 4 689.66x
Willesden 4 36.26x
Drypool 3 168.54x
Ketteringham 3 4285.71x
Royton 3 70.59x
Acton 2 29.15x
Doncaster 2 23.61x
Glanford Brigg 2 298.51x
Great Grimsby 2 16.84x
Hapton 2 2500.00x
Paddington London 2 4.65x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.97x
Broughton 1 192.31x
Holy Trinity 1 3.59x
Hurstpierpoint 1 90.91x
Redenhall 1 142.86x
St George Hanover Square 1 4.85x
Woolwich 1 6.78x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Horstead surname: questions and answers

How common was the Horstead surname in 1881?

In 1881, 120 people were recorded with the Horstead surname. That placed it at #17,756 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Horstead surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 179 in 2016. That gives Horstead a modern rank of #21,086.

What does the Horstead map show?

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