UK surname
A Dutch surname meaning "wood" or "forest".
In the 1881 census there were 16 people recorded with the Hout surname, ranking it #31,301 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 8, ranked #37,829, down from #31,301 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Mentmore, Balsham and St Alphage. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hout is 105 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 50.0%.
1881 census count
16
Ranked #31,301
Modern count
8
2016, ranked #37,829
Peak year
1861
105 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Hout surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Hout surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 17 | #30,267 |
| 1861 | historical | 105 | #20,298 |
| 1881 | historical | 16 | #31,301 |
| 1891 | historical | 17 | #32,787 |
| 1911 | historical | 5 | #33,427 |
| 1997 | modern | 9 | #37,214 |
| 1998 | modern | 10 | #37,048 |
| 1999 | modern | 8 | #37,367 |
| 2000 | modern | 6 | #37,624 |
| 2001 | modern | 5 | #37,652 |
| 2002 | modern | 4 | #37,921 |
| 2003 | modern | 4 | #37,951 |
| 2004 | modern | 4 | #38,013 |
| 2005 | modern | 6 | #37,724 |
| 2006 | modern | 6 | #37,788 |
| 2007 | modern | 6 | #37,837 |
| 2008 | modern | 7 | #37,735 |
| 2009 | modern | 6 | #37,953 |
| 2010 | modern | 6 | #38,024 |
| 2011 | modern | 9 | #37,598 |
| 2012 | modern | 10 | #37,509 |
| 2013 | modern | 13 | #37,224 |
| 2014 | modern | 14 | #37,161 |
| 2015 | modern | 11 | #37,467 |
| 2016 | modern | 8 | #37,829 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Mentmore, Balsham, St Alphage, St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford and St George the Martyr, St Andrew Holborn above the Bars, Furnival's Inn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mentmore | Bedfordshire |
| 2 | Balsham | Cambridgeshire |
| 3 | St Alphage | London (Central Districts) |
| 4 | St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford | London (South Districts) |
| 5 | St George the Martyr, St Andrew Holborn above the Bars, Furnival's Inn | London (Central Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Hout surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hout, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Hout surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Hout household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Hout is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hout is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Hout, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname HOUT is of Dutch origin, derived from the Low German word "hout," meaning "wood" or "forest." This name likely originated in the Netherlands during the Middle Ages, possibly as early as the 12th or 13th century.
HOUT is believed to have originated as a toponymic surname, indicating that the first bearers of this name resided near or were associated with a wooded area or forest. In some cases, it may have been an occupational name for those who worked in the timber industry or lived near a dense wooded region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name HOUT can be found in the Dutch province of Zeeland, where a certain Wouter Hout is mentioned in records from the late 14th century. In the 15th century, the name appears in the city of Leiden, where a Jan van Hout was a prominent citizen and merchant.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name HOUT gained wider recognition in the Netherlands, particularly in the provinces of Holland and Friesland. Notable figures from this period include the Dutch painter Gerrit Willemsz Hout (1592-1666), known for his genre paintings and portraits.
In the 18th century, the HOUT surname spread to other parts of Europe and beyond, as Dutch emigrants and traders carried the name with them. One notable bearer was the Dutch-American physician and botanist Jacob Hout (1756-1828), who settled in Pennsylvania and made significant contributions to the study of plant life in the United States.
As the name HOUT continued to disperse in the 19th and early 20th centuries, it became associated with various professions and achievements. Pieter Hout (1796-1871) was a Dutch architect and urban planner responsible for designing several notable buildings in Amsterdam. Another prominent figure was the Dutch painter Jan Hout (1865-1915), known for his landscapes and marine scenes.
Throughout its history, the surname HOUT has been spelled in various ways, including Hout, Houdt, Houtman, and Van Hout, reflecting regional variations and linguistic changes over time. While the name has its roots in the Netherlands, it has since spread to other parts of the world, carried by Dutch emigrants and their descendants.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hout surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 9 Houts recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.86x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 9 | 4.86x |
| Middlesex | 3 | 1.92x |
| Kirkcudbrightshire | 1 | 44.25x |
| Somerset | 1 | 3.98x |
| Sussex | 1 | 3.80x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.65x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Windle in Lancashire leads with 6 Houts recorded in 1881 and an index of 576.92x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Windle | 6 | 576.92x |
| Eccleston In Prescot | 3 | 322.58x |
| Tottenham | 3 | 120.97x |
| Hastings St Mary | 1 | 153.85x |
| Kelton | 1 | 526.32x |
| Otley | 1 | 263.16x |
| Twerton | 1 | 384.62x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Hout surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
FAQ
In 1881, 16 people were recorded with the Hout surname. That placed it at #31,301 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 8 in 2016. That gives Hout a modern rank of #37,829.
A Dutch surname meaning "wood" or "forest".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Hout bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.