NameCensus.

UK surname

Houldsworth

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "hollow or valley worth".

In the 1881 census there were 596 people recorded with the Houldsworth surname, ranking it #5,868 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 765, ranked #7,175, down from #5,868 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, St Werburgh and Hucknall Torkard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hyndburn, North Lincolnshire and Derby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Houldsworth is 1,029 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.4%.

1881 census count

596

Ranked #5,868

Modern count

765

2016, ranked #7,175

Peak year

1901

1,029 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Houldsworth had 596 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,868 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 765 in 2016, ranked #7,175.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,029 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Houldsworth surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Houldsworth surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Houldsworth 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 423 #5,770
1861 historical 320 #7,960
1881 historical 596 #5,868
1891 historical 900 #4,581
1901 historical 1,029 #4,643
1911 historical 910 #4,905
1997 modern 796 #6,559
1998 modern 816 #6,654
1999 modern 839 #6,552
2000 modern 805 #6,734
2001 modern 791 #6,702
2002 modern 817 #6,652
2003 modern 808 #6,599
2004 modern 801 #6,664
2005 modern 799 #6,620
2006 modern 812 #6,534
2007 modern 820 #6,558
2008 modern 846 #6,451
2009 modern 847 #6,582
2010 modern 850 #6,693
2011 modern 832 #6,720
2012 modern 809 #6,773
2013 modern 806 #6,909
2014 modern 805 #6,965
2015 modern 787 #7,026
2016 modern 765 #7,175

Geography

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Where Houldsworths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, St Werburgh, Hucknall Torkard, Manchester and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hyndburn, North Lincolnshire, Derby, Ashfield and Bradford. 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 St Werburgh Derbyshire
3 Hucknall Torkard Nottinghamshire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hyndburn 001 Hyndburn
2 North Lincolnshire 013 North Lincolnshire
3 Derby 007 Derby
4 Ashfield 014 Ashfield
5 Bradford 023 Bradford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Houldsworth

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Houldsworth

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Houldsworth, 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 Houldsworth surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Houldsworth 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, Houldsworth 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

Houldsworth is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Houldsworth

The surname Houldsworth has its origins in England, specifically in the county of Lancashire. It is believed to have emerged during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "holh" meaning hollow or valley, and "worð" signifying an enclosed homestead or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Lansdowne Manuscript from the mid-16th century, where it appears as "Holdesworth." This suggests that the name may have originally been associated with a particular location or estate in the Lancashire region, perhaps a settlement situated in a hollow or valley.

Interestingly, the Houldsworth surname has also been linked to the village of Holdsworthy in Devon, which shares a similar etymology. While the connection is not definitive, it is possible that some early bearers of the name migrated from Lancashire to Devon, or vice versa, leading to variants in spelling and pronunciation.

Among the notable individuals who have borne the Houldsworth surname is Sir Thomas Houldsworth (1771-1858), a prominent industrialist and cotton manufacturer from Manchester. He played a significant role in the development of the textile industry during the Industrial Revolution and served as a Member of Parliament for Nottingham from 1832 to 1835.

Another prominent figure was Sir William Henry Houldsworth (1834-1917), the grandson of Sir Thomas Houldsworth. He continued the family's involvement in the textile industry and was also a philanthropist, donating funds for the construction of schools and hospitals in the Manchester area.

In the literary realm, the name Houldsworth has been associated with the English poet and playwright Edward Houldsworth (1847-1911). He was a member of the Houldsworth family and is best known for his collection of poems titled "Dryburgh Abbey and Other Poems," published in 1881.

Another notable bearer of the surname was Sir Joseph Houldsworth (1876-1944), an industrialist and businessman who served as the Lord Mayor of Manchester from 1924 to 1925. He was also involved in various philanthropic endeavors and was knighted in 1926 for his contributions to the city.

The Houldsworth surname has also been documented in historical records such as parish registers and census records from the 16th to the 19th centuries, primarily concentrated in the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire, further solidifying its English origins and regional associations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Houldsworth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Houldsworth 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 220 Houldsworths recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.82x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 220 3.82x
Lancashire 206 2.99x
Cheshire 29 2.26x
Derbyshire 26 2.86x
Nottinghamshire 22 2.81x
Ayrshire 16 3.68x
Surrey 16 0.56x
Lincolnshire 8 0.86x
Middlesex 8 0.14x
Cumberland 6 1.20x
Lanarkshire 6 0.32x
Durham 5 0.29x
Dunbartonshire 4 2.56x
Northumberland 4 0.46x
Staffordshire 4 0.20x
Devon 3 0.25x
Midlothian 3 0.39x
Somerset 2 0.21x
Westmorland 2 1.57x
Berkshire 1 0.23x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.28x
Dorset 1 0.26x
Hertfordshire 1 0.25x
Kent 1 0.05x
Northamptonshire 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Keighley in Yorkshire leads with 62 Houldsworths recorded in 1881 and an index of 100.96x.

Place Total Index
Keighley 62 100.96x
Ashton Under Lyne 19 12.60x
Wandsworth 16 28.59x
Manchester 15 4.84x
Nether Hallam 15 19.25x
Ardwick 14 22.50x
Dukinfield 14 23.61x
Batley 12 21.92x
Derby St Alkmund 11 40.32x
Castleton 10 14.51x
Hucknall Torkard 10 50.33x
Richmond 10 111.11x
Salford 10 4.93x
Sheffield 10 5.45x
Tonge 10 69.11x
Ayr 9 43.82x
Bingley 9 24.53x
Heath 9 1267.61x
Newton 9 16.93x
Walton On Hill 9 24.08x
Burnley 8 13.77x
Dalton In Huddersfield 8 61.97x
Pendleton In Salford 8 9.73x
Mansfield 7 25.81x
Stansfield 7 33.02x
Thornton In Bradford 7 36.50x
Bradford 6 18.58x
Broughton In Salford 6 9.51x
Calverley Cum Farsley 6 36.67x
Elland Cum Greetland 6 23.12x
Halifax 6 7.09x
Hampstead London 6 6.63x
Heckmondwike 6 32.38x
Oldham 6 2.69x
Barrow In Furness 5 5.33x
Cambusnethan 5 11.97x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 4.56x
Layton With Warbreck 5 19.75x
Musbury 5 247.52x
North Meols 5 7.40x
Stair 5 270.27x
Thurstonland 5 251.26x
Wath On Dearne 5 43.52x
Beswick 4 22.68x
Derby St Peter 4 13.80x
Failsworth 4 25.35x
Hipperholme Cum 4 15.80x
Knutsford Over 4 487.80x
Lissington 4 769.23x
Moston 4 57.80x
Norton Le Clay 4 2000.00x
Nottingham St Mary 4 1.97x
Ovenden 4 15.60x
Row 4 19.79x
St Swithin Lincoln 4 27.36x
Stanwix 4 98.77x
Stoke Upon Trent 4 1.92x
Stretford 4 10.54x
Tottington Lower End 4 12.20x
Warton With Lindeth 4 138.41x
Westgate 4 7.47x
Brinnington 3 25.02x
Clifton 3 57.92x
Gateshead 3 2.32x
Kilburn 3 389.61x
Leeds 3 0.92x
Middleton In Oldham 3 14.50x
Newchurch 3 5.32x
Northowram 3 7.43x
Rusholme 3 16.30x
Tormoham 3 5.86x
Wakefield 3 6.78x
Kilmarnock 2 3.86x
Lasswade 2 11.23x
Nappa 2 5000.00x
North Bierley 2 6.43x
Pilkington 2 7.63x
Sale 2 12.71x
Tranmere 2 4.24x
Whitehaven 2 7.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 43
Elizabeth 23
Sarah 20
Ann 14
Ellen 12
Jane 12
Alice 8
Emma 8
Martha 8
Hannah 7
Eliza 6
Harriet 6
Margaret 5
Annie 4
Fanny 4
Isabella 4
Amy 3
Edith 3
Emily 3
Frances 3
Grace 3
Kate 3
Maria 3
Rachel 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Betsy 2
Charlotte 2
Florence 2
Josephine 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Selina 2
Susannah 2
Betty 1
Bridget 1
Catherine 1
Cicily 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth. 1
Elleanor 1
Elsie 1
Fannie 1
Jessie 1
Ketunah 1
Lizzie 1
Margret 1
Margt. 1
Winnifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 39
William 38
Joseph 23
George 21
James 21
Thomas 19
Henry 11
Charles 8
Samuel 8
Albert 7
Richard 7
Arthur 6
Ernest 6
Daniel 4
Jonas 4
Robert 4
Edward 3
Frank 3
Frederick 3
Matthew 3
Wm. 3
Abel 2
Abraham 2
Edwin 2
Fred 2
Harry 2
Jackson 2
Paul 2
Percy 2
Allen 1
Ambrose 1
Benjamin 1
David 1
Edmund 1
Freddy 1
Fredrick 1
Hannah 1
Harold 1
Harrold 1
Herbert 1
Humphrey 1
Kellett 1
Lister 1
Littlewood 1
Louis 1
Luke 1
Luther 1
Mary 1
Nathaniel 1
Newton 1

FAQ

Houldsworth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Houldsworth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 596 people were recorded with the Houldsworth surname. That placed it at #5,868 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Houldsworth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 765 in 2016. That gives Houldsworth a modern rank of #7,175.

What does the Houldsworth surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "hollow or valley worth".

What does the Houldsworth map show?

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