NameCensus.

UK surname

Hoult

A variant of "holt" meaning a small wood or grove.

In the 1881 census there were 769 people recorded with the Hoult surname, ranking it #4,804 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,348, ranked #4,474, up from #4,804 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Burton-on-Trent, St Werburgh and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North East Derbyshire, Mansfield and East Staffordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hoult is 1,462 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 75.3%.

1881 census count

769

Ranked #4,804

Modern count

1,348

2016, ranked #4,474

Peak year

2000

1,462 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hoult had 769 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,804 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,348 in 2016, ranked #4,474.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,356 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hoult surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hoult surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hoult 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 743 #3,550
1861 historical 624 #4,284
1881 historical 769 #4,804
1891 historical 812 #4,972
1901 historical 1,193 #4,122
1911 historical 1,356 #3,543
1997 modern 1,414 #4,107
1998 modern 1,451 #4,166
1999 modern 1,459 #4,173
2000 modern 1,462 #4,143
2001 modern 1,434 #4,135
2002 modern 1,440 #4,204
2003 modern 1,409 #4,206
2004 modern 1,384 #4,268
2005 modern 1,357 #4,296
2006 modern 1,344 #4,331
2007 modern 1,370 #4,306
2008 modern 1,374 #4,320
2009 modern 1,400 #4,329
2010 modern 1,424 #4,348
2011 modern 1,383 #4,404
2012 modern 1,344 #4,439
2013 modern 1,359 #4,476
2014 modern 1,375 #4,455
2015 modern 1,350 #4,484
2016 modern 1,348 #4,474

Geography

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Where Hoults are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Burton-on-Trent, St Werburgh, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Sheffield and Warrington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North East Derbyshire, Mansfield, East Staffordshire and Wakefield. 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 Burton-on-Trent Staffordshire
2 St Werburgh Derbyshire
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Warrington Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North East Derbyshire 011 North East Derbyshire
2 Mansfield 008 Mansfield
3 East Staffordshire 015 East Staffordshire
4 Wakefield 016 Wakefield
5 Wakefield 017 Wakefield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hoult

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hoult

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Hoult 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

Hoult 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

Hoult falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hoult is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Hoult, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hoult

The surname "HOULT" is of English origin and dates back to the late medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the hamlet of Holt, a common place name found across various counties in England, such as Norfolk, Wiltshire, and Yorkshire. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English word "holt," meaning a wood or a grove.

The earliest recorded reference to the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Holte" in Buckinghamshire and Derbyshire. The name likely evolved from the Old English "holt" to the modern spelling "HOULT" over time, with various intermediate spellings such as "Holt," "Holte," and "Hoult" being used interchangeably.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname "HOULT" was John Hoult, who was born in Nottinghamshire in the late 13th century. Another notable figure was Richard Hoult, a merchant from Lincoln, who is mentioned in records from the 15th century.

In the 16th century, the name appears in the parish records of Derbyshire, where a family of Hoults resided in the village of Hollington. One of the most prominent members of this family was William Hoult (1555-1629), a wealthy landowner and benefactor who funded the construction of a school in the village.

During the 17th century, the name spread to other parts of England, and several individuals with the surname "HOULT" made their mark in various fields. For instance, Thomas Hoult (1628-1692) was a renowned mathematician and astronomer who contributed to the development of logarithmic tables.

In the 18th century, the name gained recognition with the birth of Samuel Hoult (1746-1821), a celebrated artist and engraver who was elected a member of the Royal Academy in 1799. His works are still displayed in various art galleries across the country.

As the centuries progressed, the name continued to be carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including Sir Henry Hoult (1819-1898), a prominent industrialist and philanthropist who funded the construction of several schools and hospitals in his hometown of Manchester.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hoult families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hoult 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 108 Hoults recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.44x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 108 1.44x
Lancashire 100 1.12x
Staffordshire 82 3.22x
Leicestershire 79 9.44x
Derbyshire 65 5.50x
Nottinghamshire 63 6.19x
Cheshire 35 2.10x
Kent 34 1.32x
Glamorgan 28 2.13x
Warwickshire 28 1.47x
Middlesex 26 0.34x
Worcestershire 22 2.23x
Lincolnshire 19 1.57x
Shropshire 15 2.30x
Durham 14 0.62x
Northumberland 11 0.98x
Surrey 11 0.30x
Cambridgeshire 9 1.88x
Carmarthenshire 5 1.57x
Essex 4 0.27x
Isle of Man 4 2.85x
Dumfriesshire 2 1.20x
Flintshire 2 0.99x
Montgomeryshire 2 1.16x
Norfolk 2 0.17x
Sussex 2 0.16x
Hertfordshire 1 0.19x
Royal Navy 1 1.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Warrington in Lancashire leads with 22 Hoults recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.71x.

Place Total Index
Warrington 22 20.71x
Aston 21 4.01x
Loughborough 20 52.65x
Worksop 16 53.02x
Leicester St Margaret 15 7.35x
Kirkdale 14 9.29x
Brightside Bierlow 13 8.86x
Burton Upon Trent 13 21.80x
Cogan 13 666.67x
Marston Upon Dove 13 342.11x
Wolverley 13 150.12x
Ashby De La Zouch 12 61.86x
Codsall 12 331.49x
Sheffield 12 5.04x
West Derby 12 4.58x
Claylane 11 66.95x
Litchurch 11 23.12x
Castleton 10 11.18x
Clapham 10 10.59x
Dover St Mary Virgin 10 40.11x
Whitstable 10 79.11x
Chatteris 9 73.77x
Cheetham 9 13.47x
Condover 9 196.08x
Darlaston 9 25.55x
Doncaster 9 16.47x
Mexborough 9 60.61x
Thringstone 9 281.25x
Barton Under Needwood 8 172.79x
Charlton 8 46.76x
Darrington 8 588.24x
Henbury Cum Pexhall 8 707.96x
Mile End Old Town London 8 4.98x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 8 11.92x
Swansea Town 8 7.42x
Usworth 8 67.06x
Birmingham 7 1.10x
Burton Extra 7 47.91x
Ecclesall Bierlow 7 4.60x
Gainsborough 7 24.60x
Tranmere 7 11.43x
Barnsley 6 7.78x
Castle Gresley 6 295.57x
Greasbrough 6 60.73x
Kingswinford 6 6.48x
Paddington London 6 2.16x
Pendlebury 6 31.71x
Stoke Upon Trent 6 2.22x
Chester St Oswald 5 16.57x
Chesterfield 5 11.28x
Conisbrough 5 71.23x
Derby St Werburgh 5 7.33x
Gorton 5 5.94x
Littleborough 5 2941.18x
Llanelly 5 6.98x
Mansfield Woodhouse 5 73.86x
Sturton 5 364.96x
Sutton Bonnington 5 192.31x
Sutton In Ashfield 5 22.64x
Thornton Hough 5 420.17x
Wolstanton 5 6.46x
Basford 4 8.53x
Beeston 4 34.22x
Brampton Bierlow 4 41.75x
Ibstock 4 65.79x
Lower Mitton 4 46.03x
Macclesfield 4 5.40x
Onchan 4 9.90x
Sedgley 4 4.23x
Sheepshed 4 34.87x
St George In East London 4 5.63x
Tettenhall 4 25.67x
Tinsley 4 152.67x
Walthamstow 4 7.46x
Wardleworth 4 7.81x
Altrincham 3 10.30x
Kinver 3 40.82x
Newbold Dunston 3 26.71x
Newington 3 14.56x
Oswestry Town 3 14.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 43
Sarah 33
Elizabeth 27
Emma 20
Ann 18
Eliza 14
Jane 14
Alice 13
Emily 12
Annie 11
Edith 11
Ellen 10
Catherine 8
Martha 8
Hannah 7
Maria 6
Charlotte 5
Fanny 5
Anne 4
Frances 4
Eleanor 3
Harriet 3
Harriett 3
Helen 3
Kate 3
Louisa 3
Lucy 3
Matilda 3
Phoebe 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Dinah 2
Esther 2
Florence 2
Francis 2
Gertrude 2
Grace 2
Julia 2
Leah 2
Lilly 2
Margaret 2
Margrett 2
Maud 2
Minnie 2
Nellie 2
Phebe 2
Elizebeth 1
Elizth. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 48
John 47
George 32
Thomas 30
James 22
Joseph 17
Charles 16
Samuel 11
Albert 10
Henry 10
Arthur 9
Walter 9
Alfred 8
Edward 8
Edwin 8
Frederick 7
Robert 7
Herbert 6
David 5
Harry 5
Frank 3
Fredrick 3
Richard 3
Tom 3
Andrew 2
Daniel 2
Ernest 2
Fred 2
Geo. 2
Thos. 2
Wilfred 2
Willm. 2
Wm. 2
Bertram 1
D. 1
Edith 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrk.Chs. 1
Hannah 1
Harold 1
Jane 1
Levi 1
Littleton 1
Margaret 1
Matthew 1
Michael 1
Miles 1
Moses 1
Oliver 1
Oscar 1

FAQ

Hoult surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hoult surname in 1881?

In 1881, 769 people were recorded with the Hoult surname. That placed it at #4,804 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hoult surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,348 in 2016. That gives Hoult a modern rank of #4,474.

What does the Hoult surname mean?

A variant of "holt" meaning a small wood or grove.

What does the Hoult map show?

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