NameCensus.

UK surname

House

An occupational surname referring to someone who lived or worked in a house or managed a household.

In the 1881 census there were 3,897 people recorded with the House surname, ranking it #1,167 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,455, ranked #1,225, down from #1,167 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Hilton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Dorset and West Dorset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for House is 5,662 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.0%.

1881 census count

3,897

Ranked #1,167

Modern count

5,455

2016, ranked #1,225

Peak year

2000

5,662 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • House had 3,897 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,167 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,455 in 2016, ranked #1,225.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,300 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

House surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

House surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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House 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 2,748 #1,071
1861 historical 3,374 #844
1881 historical 3,897 #1,167
1891 historical 4,441 #1,063
1901 historical 4,558 #1,248
1911 historical 5,300 #989
1997 modern 5,464 #1,192
1998 modern 5,646 #1,199
1999 modern 5,645 #1,207
2000 modern 5,662 #1,203
2001 modern 5,534 #1,200
2002 modern 5,625 #1,206
2003 modern 5,462 #1,213
2004 modern 5,467 #1,210
2005 modern 5,334 #1,225
2006 modern 5,361 #1,218
2007 modern 5,371 #1,220
2008 modern 5,406 #1,214
2009 modern 5,538 #1,218
2010 modern 5,613 #1,233
2011 modern 5,550 #1,228
2012 modern 5,439 #1,232
2013 modern 5,546 #1,227
2014 modern 5,578 #1,224
2015 modern 5,505 #1,222
2016 modern 5,455 #1,225

Geography

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Where Houses are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Hilton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Dorset and West Dorset. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Hilton Dorset
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Dorset 008 North Dorset
2 West Dorset 003 West Dorset
3 West Dorset 004 West Dorset
4 West Dorset 009 West Dorset
5 West Dorset 010 West Dorset

Forenames

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First names often paired with House

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for House

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

London Fringe

Within London, House is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

House is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

House falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of House

The surname House is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is thought to have derived from the Old English word "hus," meaning a dwelling or place of residence. It is believed to have emerged as a surname in the late 11th or early 12th century, initially referring to someone who lived in a prominent house or was responsible for maintaining a household.

Records show that the name House appeared in various medieval documents, such as the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was spelled as "Huse." This early spelling variation reflects the evolving nature of surnames during that period, as they gradually became hereditary and more standardized over time.

One of the earliest documented instances of the surname House was found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1195, where a certain Richard de la House was mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use as a hereditary surname by the late 12th century.

During the medieval period, the House surname was also associated with various place names, such as Housham in Yorkshire and Housesteads in Northumberland. These place names likely derived from the Old English word "hus," indicating that the surname originated as a locational name, referring to someone who hailed from a particular house or settlement.

Notable historical figures who bore the surname House include John House (c. 1500-1554), an English poet and translator during the reign of Henry VIII, and Sir Michael House (c. 1570-1628), a Member of Parliament and landowner in Gloucestershire.

Another prominent bearer of the House surname was Thomas House (1659-1744), an English Anglican clergyman and theologian who served as the Bishop of Killaloe and Kilfenora in Ireland. He was known for his work on church history and controversial writings on religious matters.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the House surname was that of Joseph House (c. 1620-1699), an English Puritan who settled in Massachusetts and served as a deputy to the General Court of Massachusetts Bay Colony.

During the American Revolution, Edward House (1744-1827) was a notable figure who served as a captain in the Continental Army and fought in several battles, including the Battle of Long Island and the Battle of Monmouth.

The House surname has been carried by many other notable individuals throughout history, reflecting its widespread presence and enduring legacy across various cultures and regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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House families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the House 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. Dorset leads with 568 Houses recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.77x.

County Total Index
Dorset 568 22.77x
Somerset 531 8.68x
Middlesex 505 1.33x
Hampshire 487 6.25x
Surrey 216 1.17x
Berkshire 187 6.55x
Gloucestershire 175 2.35x
Wiltshire 126 3.75x
Yorkshire 109 0.29x
Kent 106 0.82x
Durham 95 0.84x
Buckinghamshire 92 4.00x
Cornwall 68 1.58x
Monmouthshire 66 2.40x
Oxfordshire 65 2.77x
Staffordshire 54 0.42x
Glamorgan 49 0.74x
Lancashire 45 0.10x
Devon 44 0.56x
Northamptonshire 40 1.12x
Sussex 38 0.59x
Essex 37 0.49x
Norfolk 21 0.36x
Hertfordshire 18 0.69x
Warwickshire 18 0.19x
Worcestershire 18 0.36x
Nottinghamshire 17 0.33x
Lincolnshire 13 0.21x
Bedfordshire 10 0.51x
Derbyshire 9 0.15x
Lanarkshire 9 0.07x
Leicestershire 9 0.21x
Cumberland 7 0.21x
Royal Navy 7 1.55x
Denbighshire 6 0.42x
Northumberland 6 0.11x
Channel Islands 5 0.44x
Cheshire 4 0.05x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.12x
Cardiganshire 3 0.32x
Huntingdonshire 3 0.40x
Shropshire 3 0.09x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.06x
Merionethshire 1 0.14x
Midlothian 1 0.02x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.08x
Suffolk 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hilton in Dorset leads with 107 Houses recorded in 1881 and an index of 1239.86x.

Place Total Index
Hilton 107 1239.86x
Portsea 60 3.93x
Millbrook 48 24.46x
Islington London 47 1.28x
Stoke St Gregory 44 236.81x
Southampton St Mary 43 8.78x
Reading St Mary 41 17.94x
Lambeth 38 1.15x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 35 4.99x
Haselbury Bryan 33 352.56x
Paddington London 33 2.36x
Weston Super Mare 33 21.36x
Battersea 31 2.22x
Taunton St Mary 31 27.60x
Mark 29 203.22x
Hackney London 28 1.31x
Lymington 27 47.15x
Camberwell 26 1.07x
Brockenhurst 25 185.60x
Hammersmith London 25 2.67x
Swindon 25 9.59x
Banwell 24 107.48x
Great Marlow 24 38.69x
St Columb Minor 24 66.41x
St George Hanover Square 23 3.43x
Bristol St Paul In 22 11.08x
Chard 22 29.68x
Tottenham 22 3.63x
Chewton Mendip 21 207.51x
Peterborough 21 8.11x
St Marylebone London 21 1.03x
Bedminster 20 3.48x
Bristol St George 20 5.80x
Ealing 20 5.89x
Kensington London 20 0.95x
West Ham 20 1.21x
Bere Regis 19 113.70x
Bethnal Green London 19 1.15x
Caundle Bishop 19 435.78x
St Pancras London 19 0.62x
Brighton 18 1.39x
Cerne Abbas 18 148.88x
Chelsea London 18 1.57x
Cubert 18 371.13x
Lewisham 18 2.60x
St George In East London 18 5.03x
Tincelton 18 947.37x
Ystradyfodwg 18 3.10x
Alverstoke 17 6.03x
Deptford St Paul 17 1.70x
Puddletrenthide 17 174.72x
Clerkenwell London 16 1.78x
Thatcham 16 36.39x
Warblington 16 51.76x
Warminster 16 21.72x
Wimborne Minster 16 39.65x
Wingate 16 20.64x
Christchurch 15 8.88x
Melcombe Horsey 15 630.25x
Pemberton 15 8.34x
Stone 15 9.14x
Taunton St James 15 16.81x
Clifton 14 3.71x
Crantock 14 312.50x
Hillingdon 14 11.55x
Maiden Newton 14 134.10x
Pocklington 14 39.37x
Handsworth 13 4.11x
Harrow On The Hill 13 17.12x
Kings Somborne 13 79.56x
Wooburn 13 41.05x
Bermondsey 12 1.06x
Bradpole 12 58.71x
Burghclere 12 121.21x
Cossington 12 404.04x
Great Bookham 12 84.27x
Parkstone 12 41.22x
Shoreditch London 12 0.73x
Sydenham 12 259.18x
Woolwich 12 2.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 219
Elizabeth 158
Sarah 137
Jane 81
Ellen 78
Ann 74
Eliza 65
Alice 59
Annie 57
Emma 53
Emily 52
Martha 36
Caroline 35
Louisa 34
Kate 31
Edith 30
Fanny 30
Hannah 29
Harriet 27
Florence 25
Charlotte 24
Margaret 24
Susan 21
Amelia 20
Catherine 20
Ada 18
Maria 18
Rose 18
Frances 16
Harriett 15
Anne 14
Isabella 14
Matilda 14
Clara 13
Minnie 13
Agnes 12
Lucy 12
Laura 10
Sophia 10
Bessie 9
Julia 9
Rebecca 9
Esther 8
Lizzie 7
Rhoda 7
Rosa 7
Flora 6
Maud 6
Phoebe 6
Beatrice 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 221
John 182
George 153
Henry 131
James 118
Charles 108
Thomas 104
Frederick 59
Robert 55
Joseph 48
Alfred 42
Walter 41
Arthur 35
Edward 35
Albert 33
Richard 33
Frank 26
Ernest 25
Samuel 23
Harry 22
Francis 19
Tom 14
Stephen 12
Edwin 11
Herbert 11
Wm. 9
Geo. 8
Isaac 8
Jesse 8
Fredrick 7
Nicholas 7
Benjamin 6
Constantine 6
Fredk. 6
Thos. 6
Chas. 5
David 5
Fred 5
Frederic 5
Horace 5
Peter 5
Andrew 4
Daniel 4
Edgar 4
Percy 4
Willm. 4
Archibald 3
Edmund 3
Leonard 3
Ralph 3

FAQ

House surname: questions and answers

How common was the House surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,897 people were recorded with the House surname. That placed it at #1,167 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the House surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,455 in 2016. That gives House a modern rank of #1,225.

What does the House surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who lived or worked in a house or managed a household.

What does the House map show?

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