NameCensus.

UK surname

Houseman

An occupational surname referring to a servant or someone who manages a household.

In the 1881 census there were 694 people recorded with the Houseman surname, ranking it #5,224 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 725, ranked #7,499, down from #5,224 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkby Malzeard, London parishes and Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harrogate and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Houseman is 839 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.5%.

1881 census count

694

Ranked #5,224

Modern count

725

2016, ranked #7,499

Peak year

1911

839 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Houseman had 694 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,224 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 725 in 2016, ranked #7,499.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 839 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Houseman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Houseman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Houseman 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 447 #5,511
1861 historical 458 #5,668
1881 historical 694 #5,224
1891 historical 760 #5,241
1901 historical 785 #5,729
1911 historical 839 #5,276
1997 modern 693 #7,306
1998 modern 741 #7,172
1999 modern 743 #7,198
2000 modern 751 #7,096
2001 modern 735 #7,086
2002 modern 731 #7,248
2003 modern 708 #7,309
2004 modern 685 #7,526
2005 modern 670 #7,602
2006 modern 691 #7,433
2007 modern 683 #7,579
2008 modern 693 #7,547
2009 modern 708 #7,577
2010 modern 723 #7,590
2011 modern 709 #7,627
2012 modern 728 #7,393
2013 modern 748 #7,361
2014 modern 756 #7,326
2015 modern 742 #7,364
2016 modern 725 #7,499

Geography

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Where Housemans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kirkby Malzeard, London parishes, Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall, Lytham and Hampsthwaite. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Harrogate and East Riding of Yorkshire. 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 Kirkby Malzeard Yorkshire, West Riding
2 London parishes London 3
3 Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Lytham Lancashire
5 Hampsthwaite Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Harrogate 006 Harrogate
2 Harrogate 018 Harrogate
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 018 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 Harrogate 003 Harrogate
5 East Riding of Yorkshire 011 East Riding of Yorkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Houseman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Houseman

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

Houseman 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

Houseman falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Houseman

The surname HOUSEMAN originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "hus" meaning house and "mann" meaning man, referring to someone who was a house servant or domestic worker. The name was initially spelled Husman or Houseman.

The earliest known recording of the surname dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was listed as Huseman. This suggests that the name was already in use by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066. Over the following centuries, the name appeared in various historical records across different counties in England, with variations in spelling such as Housman, Howseman, and Howesman.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is John Housman, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1230. Another early bearer of the name was William Howseman, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327.

The surname HOUSEMAN was particularly prevalent in the counties of Nottinghamshire, Worcestershire, and Lancashire. Some notable individuals with this surname include:

1. A.E. Housman (1859-1936), a renowned English classical scholar and poet, best known for his collection "A Shropshire Lad." 2. Laurence Housman (1865-1959), an English writer and illustrator, and the younger brother of A.E. Housman. 3. John Houseman (1902-1988), an English-American actor and producer, who won an Academy Award for his role in the film "The Paper Chase." 4. Clement Housman (1841-1927), an English artist and wood engraver, and the eldest brother of A.E. Housman and Laurence Housman. 5. Gerard Housman (1924-2008), an English actor and writer, known for his roles in television series such as "The Avengers" and "Upstairs, Downstairs."

The HOUSEMAN surname has a long and rich history in England, with its origins dating back to the medieval period and its association with domestic service. It has been borne by notable individuals across various fields, including literature, arts, and entertainment.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Houseman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Houseman 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 281 Housemans recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.19x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 281 4.19x
Lancashire 107 1.33x
Middlesex 53 0.78x
Worcestershire 51 5.78x
Warwickshire 43 2.52x
Lincolnshire 31 2.87x
Surrey 28 0.85x
Staffordshire 20 0.88x
Kent 15 0.65x
Shropshire 12 2.05x
Leicestershire 8 1.07x
Northamptonshire 8 1.26x
Sussex 7 0.61x
Durham 6 0.30x
Northumberland 5 0.50x
Gloucestershire 4 0.30x
Channel Islands 3 1.50x
Berkshire 2 0.39x
Bedfordshire 1 0.29x
Cheshire 1 0.07x
Derbyshire 1 0.09x
Essex 1 0.07x
Midlothian 1 0.11x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.11x
Oxfordshire 1 0.24x
Rutland 1 2.01x
Wiltshire 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Menwith Cum Darley in Yorkshire leads with 37 Housemans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2761.19x.

Place Total Index
Menwith Cum Darley 37 2761.19x
Layton With Warbreck 36 122.28x
Dacre 22 1476.51x
Birmingham 20 3.52x
Accrington 18 24.68x
Liversedge 17 57.01x
Dodderhill 16 425.53x
Leeds 15 3.97x
East Cottingwith 14 2333.33x
Felliscliffe 14 1866.67x
Aslackby 11 1047.62x
Aston 11 2.34x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 11 48.01x
Kidderminster Borough 11 21.29x
Paddington London 11 4.43x
Sharow 11 1250.00x
Hartwith Cum Winsley 10 406.50x
Marton 10 187.62x
Bermondsey 9 4.47x
Ludlow St Lawrence 9 77.45x
Thornthwaite Cum 9 1578.95x
Bolton Percy 8 1428.57x
Hackney London 8 2.11x
Northowram 8 17.03x
Chichester St Peter 7 760.87x
Gate Fulford 7 44.76x
Louth 7 28.26x
Stoke Upon Trent 7 2.89x
Beckenham 6 19.90x
Bradford 6 3.70x
Camberwell 6 1.39x
Knaresborough 6 57.03x
Nettleton 6 535.71x
Pittington 6 106.01x
Sedgley 6 7.08x
St George Hanover Square 6 5.04x
Stoke 6 178.57x
West Derby 6 2.56x
Great Malvern 5 27.14x
Hulme 5 2.99x
Jesmond 5 35.34x
Kidderminster Foreign 5 40.06x
Nailstone 5 292.40x
Nether Hallam 5 5.52x
Preston 5 2.33x
Romsley 5 520.83x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 3.68x
Stafford St Mary 5 15.48x
Tadcaster West 5 94.34x
Tonbridge 5 6.01x
Aldborough In Great 4 338.98x
Bispham With Norbreck 4 238.10x
Chelsea London 4 1.96x
Clint 4 439.56x
Guilsborough 4 238.10x
Isleworth 4 13.31x
Kingsbury 4 109.59x
Leyland 4 28.65x
Little Ribston 4 952.38x
Morley 4 11.48x
Peterborough 4 8.69x
Sutton Stoneferry 4 20.87x
Addingham 3 59.88x
Ampleforth Birdforth 3 714.29x
Aylestone 3 50.76x
Bottesford 3 375.00x
Halifax 3 3.05x
Heckmondwike 3 13.92x
Liverpool 3 0.62x
Oldham 3 1.16x
Ombersley 3 60.98x
Pendleton In Salford 3 3.14x
Potter Newton 3 25.38x
Roecliffe 3 535.71x
St Martin In Fields 3 7.41x
St Marylebone London 3 0.83x
Streatham 3 5.98x
Stapleton 2 7.95x
Thruscross 2 273.97x
Wimbledon 2 5.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 40
Elizabeth 30
Sarah 30
Eliza 15
Ann 14
Emma 13
Jane 13
Alice 11
Ellen 11
Hannah 10
Margaret 10
Annie 8
Lucy 7
Martha 6
Catherine 5
Amelia 4
Clara 4
Edith 4
Emily 4
Kate 4
Louisa 4
Maria 4
Rachel 4
Rebecca 4
Ada 3
Agnes 3
Anne 3
Charlotte 3
Elizth. 3
Esther 3
Harriet 3
Lilly 3
Caroline 2
Fanny 2
Grace 2
Isabella 2
Janet 2
Jenney 2
Jessie 2
Kerenhappuch 2
Lavinia 2
Maggie 2
Matilda 2
Sophia 2
Susan 2
Tibby 2
Betsy 1
Betty 1
Elizth 1
Emmie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 53
William 38
Thomas 27
George 24
Robert 22
James 21
Henry 18
Joseph 12
Charles 11
Alfred 8
Arthur 6
Benjamin 6
Edward 6
Richard 6
Albert 4
Fred 4
Michael 4
Walter 4
Frederick 3
Leonard 3
Edwd. 2
Herbert 2
Sam 2
Samuel 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
Cornelius 1
Ellis 1
Erasmus 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fredirick 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Geo.W. 1
Granville 1
Harry 1
Henlock 1
Hestinton 1
Infant 1
Isaac 1
J.W. 1
Jessie 1
Ralph 1
Reginald 1
Robt 1
Robt. 1
Roger 1
Sam. 1

FAQ

Houseman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Houseman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 694 people were recorded with the Houseman surname. That placed it at #5,224 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Houseman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 725 in 2016. That gives Houseman a modern rank of #7,499.

What does the Houseman surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a servant or someone who manages a household.

What does the Houseman map show?

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