NameCensus.

UK surname

Houlding

In the 1881 census there were 330 people recorded with the Houlding surname, ranking it #9,088 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 324, ranked #13,966, down from #9,088 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Wem and Preston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Maldon, Shropshire and Colchester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Houlding is 480 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.8%.

1881 census count

330

Ranked #9,088

Modern count

324

2016, ranked #13,966

Peak year

1911

480 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Houlding had 330 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,088 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 324 in 2016, ranked #13,966.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 480 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Houlding surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Houlding surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Houlding 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 270 #8,275
1861 historical 282 #8,895
1881 historical 330 #9,088
1891 historical 395 #8,961
1901 historical 460 #8,564
1911 historical 480 #8,076
1997 modern 344 #12,319
1998 modern 364 #12,201
1999 modern 365 #12,245
2000 modern 349 #12,585
2001 modern 345 #12,504
2002 modern 338 #12,939
2003 modern 338 #12,735
2004 modern 348 #12,495
2005 modern 339 #12,668
2006 modern 333 #12,941
2007 modern 345 #12,714
2008 modern 339 #13,022
2009 modern 349 #12,995
2010 modern 349 #13,280
2011 modern 340 #13,375
2012 modern 334 #13,443
2013 modern 333 #13,682
2014 modern 341 #13,528
2015 modern 333 #13,676
2016 modern 324 #13,966

Geography

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Where Houldings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Wem, Preston and Great and Little Totham, Goldhanger, Heybridge, Tolleshunt Major, Tolleshunt Knights, Tolleshunt Dar. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Maldon, Shropshire, Colchester, Forest of Dean and Malvern Hills. 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 Wem Shropshire
3 Preston Lancashire
4 Great and Little Totham, Goldhanger, Heybridge, Tolleshunt Major, Tolleshunt Knights, Tolleshunt Dar Essex
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Maldon 001 Maldon
2 Shropshire 030 Shropshire
3 Colchester 020 Colchester
4 Forest of Dean 010 Forest of Dean
5 Malvern Hills 010 Malvern Hills

Forenames

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First names often paired with Houlding

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Houlding

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Houlding is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Houlding is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Houlding falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Houlding families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Houlding 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 105 Houldings recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.79x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 105 2.79x
Yorkshire 40 1.27x
Middlesex 37 1.17x
Shropshire 31 11.32x
Derbyshire 19 3.83x
Staffordshire 19 1.78x
Cheshire 18 2.57x
Essex 15 2.40x
Gloucestershire 11 1.77x
Surrey 11 0.71x
Kent 10 0.92x
Worcestershire 4 0.97x
Sussex 2 0.37x
Lincolnshire 1 0.20x
Norfolk 1 0.21x
Suffolk 1 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Preston in Lancashire leads with 22 Houldings recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.86x.

Place Total Index
Preston 22 21.86x
Burnley 12 37.88x
Lullington 12 1481.48x
Accrington 11 32.16x
Mile End Old Town London 11 16.30x
Prees 11 329.34x
Bromley 9 54.58x
Bristol St George 8 27.82x
Habergham Eaves 8 23.27x
Morley 8 48.99x
Audley 7 66.10x
Eckington 7 58.04x
Everton 7 5.84x
Tottenham 7 13.86x
Chapel Allerton 6 127.66x
Farington 6 273.97x
Hodnet 6 280.37x
Hunslet 6 12.25x
Nantwich 6 73.80x
Otley 6 78.64x
Warrington 6 13.45x
Clifton Campville 5 595.24x
Croxall 5 2173.91x
Headingley Cum Burley 5 24.73x
Toxteth Park 5 3.93x
Walton On Hill 5 24.53x
Altrincham 4 32.71x
Blackburn 4 4.00x
Colchester St Giles 4 64.72x
Hale 4 165.98x
Holbeck 4 19.22x
Southwark St Saviour 4 24.55x
St Luke London 4 7.87x
St Michael Crooked Lane 4 5714.29x
Teddington London 4 55.71x
Tollesbury 4 254.78x
Battersea 3 2.57x
Cheetham 3 10.69x
Dudley 3 5.96x
Dursley 3 117.19x
Heaton Norris 3 14.01x
Ightfield 3 810.81x
Messing 3 384.62x
Stanton Upon Hine Heath 3 416.67x
Wem 3 73.71x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 2 6.83x
Lambeth 2 0.72x
Racton 2 1818.18x
Upper Allithwaite E 2 327.87x
Westminster St John 2 5.18x
Westminster St Margaret 2 13.08x
Whitchurch 2 37.59x
Whitchurch Tilstock 2 294.12x
Banstead 1 23.87x
Barwick In Elmet 1 41.49x
Beccles 1 16.10x
Birkenhead 1 1.79x
Chetwynd 1 113.64x
Costessey 1 95.24x
East Cliffe 1 344.83x
Farnworth 1 4.44x
Frodsham 1 36.90x
Hackney London 1 0.56x
Heaton 1 62.89x
Layton With Warbreck 1 7.25x
Leeds 1 0.56x
Lower Booths 1 14.84x
Lye 1 14.51x
Madeley 1 37.45x
Monks Coppenhall 1 3.79x
North Meols 1 2.72x
Orrell 1 21.37x
Richmond 1 4.62x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.79x
Stanway 1 90.91x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 0.88x
Stretford 1 4.83x
Todmorden Walsden 1 9.92x
Whittingham 1 60.24x
Willaston In Nantwich 1 46.30x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 23
Mary 18
Sarah 15
Jane 13
Ellen 9
Annie 7
Ann 6
Alice 5
Martha 5
Emma 4
Frances 4
Margaret 4
Catherine 3
Fanny 3
Isabella 3
Jessie 3
Rose 3
Ada 2
Anne 2
Elizth. 2
Emily 2
Florence 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
Bessie 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Cecily 1
Charlotte 1
Dinah 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elenor 1
Eliza 1
Elizth.Alice 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Helena 1
Kate 1
Keziah 1
Lely 1
Mabel 1
Margt. 1
Muriel 1
Pattie 1
Priscilla 1
Rachel 1
Rosetta 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 25
John 24
Thomas 18
Joseph 12
George 7
James 6
Richard 6
Arthur 5
Henry 5
Charles 4
Edward 4
Robert 3
Samuel 3
Thos. 3
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Ralph 2
Adam 1
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Benjamin 1
Bon 1
Dick 1
Edwin 1
Ephraim 1
Frederick 1
Geo.Thos. 1
Heny. 1
Heny.Wm. 1
Herbt.R. 1
Horace 1
Hy.John 1
Hy.Wm. 1
Joshua 1
Lawrence 1
Sam 1
Thom 1
Thos.Henry 1
Wallie 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Houlding surname: questions and answers

How common was the Houlding surname in 1881?

In 1881, 330 people were recorded with the Houlding surname. That placed it at #9,088 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Houlding surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 324 in 2016. That gives Houlding a modern rank of #13,966.

What does the Houlding map show?

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