NameCensus.

UK surname

Hoy

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived on or near a hill or steep ridge.

In the 1881 census there were 1,340 people recorded with the Hoy surname, ranking it #3,059 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,780, ranked #2,425, up from #3,059 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Knowsley, South Tyneside and King's Lynn and West Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hoy is 2,928 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 107.5%.

1881 census count

1,340

Ranked #3,059

Modern count

2,780

2016, ranked #2,425

Peak year

1999

2,928 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hoy had 1,340 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,059 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,780 in 2016, ranked #2,425.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,362 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Hoy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hoy surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hoy 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 1,038 #2,700
1861 historical 2 #34,135
1881 historical 1,340 #3,059
1891 historical 403 #8,822
1901 historical 2,362 #2,296
1997 modern 2,852 #2,267
1998 modern 2,926 #2,304
1999 modern 2,928 #2,314
2000 modern 2,883 #2,337
2001 modern 2,830 #2,320
2002 modern 2,905 #2,316
2003 modern 2,812 #2,337
2004 modern 2,836 #2,322
2005 modern 2,755 #2,355
2006 modern 2,778 #2,335
2007 modern 2,788 #2,351
2008 modern 2,790 #2,364
2009 modern 2,828 #2,392
2010 modern 2,893 #2,384
2011 modern 2,848 #2,387
2012 modern 2,767 #2,413
2013 modern 2,821 #2,408
2014 modern 2,841 #2,402
2015 modern 2,803 #2,415
2016 modern 2,780 #2,425

Geography

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Where Hoys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gateshead, Edinburgh, Manchester and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Knowsley, South Tyneside, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Deans Village and Central Bedfordshire. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Knowsley 005 Knowsley
2 South Tyneside 019 South Tyneside
3 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 016 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
4 Deans Village City of Edinburgh
5 Central Bedfordshire 003 Central Bedfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hoy

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hoy

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hoy, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Hoy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Hoy household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Hoy is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hoy is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hoy 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 Hoy 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Hoy

The surname Hoy has its origins in Scotland, emerging in the early medieval period around the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "achadh," which means "field" or "meadow." This suggests that the name may have originally been a place name or a descriptive surname referring to someone who lived near or on a field or meadow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1266, where it is spelled "Hog." This spelling variation is thought to be an anglicized version of the original Gaelic form. Over time, the spelling evolved further to become "Hoy," which is the more common modern spelling.

The name Hoy can be found in various historical records throughout Scotland, particularly in the regions of Fife, Angus, and Perthshire. In the 16th century, a notable figure named David Hoy (c. 1550-1612) was a Scottish minister and scholar who served as the minister of Dysart in Fife.

Another significant bearer of the name was Sir James Hoy (1655-1717), a Scottish merchant and philanthropist. He was born in Cupar, Fife, and made his fortune in trade with the Low Countries. He endowed several schools and hospitals in Cupar and was knighted by King William III in 1693.

In the 18th century, William Hoy (1768-1839) was a prominent Scottish painter and engraver. He was born in Perth and is known for his landscapes and portraits, many of which are held in the National Galleries of Scotland.

Moving into the 19th century, Thomas Hoy (1816-1899) was a Scottish-born Australian politician and businessman. He emigrated to Australia in the 1840s and became a successful merchant and land speculator in Melbourne. He served as a member of the Victorian Legislative Council from 1856 to 1871.

Another notable figure was James Hoy (1885-1976), a Scottish professional footballer who played as a forward for several clubs, including Celtic and Falkirk. He was part of the Celtic team that won the Scottish Cup in 1907 and 1908.

These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have carried the surname Hoy, which has its roots in the ancient fields and meadows of Scotland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hoy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hoy 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. Middlesex leads with 340 Hoys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.02x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 340 2.02x
Essex 282 8.50x
Lancashire 219 1.10x
Midlothian 134 5.95x
Lanarkshire 101 1.86x
Durham 93 1.86x
Surrey 90 1.10x
Norfolk 49 1.90x
Angus 47 3.02x
Fife 42 4.22x
Northumberland 40 1.60x
Hertfordshire 33 2.85x
Yorkshire 31 0.19x
Kent 22 0.38x
Cambridgeshire 17 1.60x
Cheshire 17 0.46x
Lincolnshire 16 0.60x
Renfrewshire 16 1.23x
Suffolk 16 0.78x
Kirkcudbrightshire 12 4.93x
Leicestershire 9 0.48x
Bedfordshire 8 0.92x
Roxburghshire 8 2.63x
Gloucestershire 7 0.21x
Somerset 7 0.26x
Ayrshire 6 0.48x
Warwickshire 6 0.14x
Cornwall 5 0.26x
Derbyshire 5 0.19x
Devon 5 0.14x
Hampshire 4 0.12x
Aberdeenshire 3 0.19x
Berwickshire 3 1.47x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.30x
Kinross-shire 3 7.07x
Royal Navy 3 1.50x
Shropshire 3 0.21x
Staffordshire 3 0.05x
Stirlingshire 3 0.48x
Worcestershire 3 0.14x
Cumberland 2 0.14x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.09x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.27x
Glamorgan 1 0.03x
Isle of Man 1 0.32x
West Lothian 1 0.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 58 Hoys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.41x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 58 6.41x
Islington London 58 3.56x
Great Dunmow 57 329.86x
Hackney London 36 3.82x
Tottenham 34 12.71x
Govan 32 2.38x
Kensington London 30 3.21x
West Ham 30 4.10x
Dundee 27 4.65x
Manchester 26 2.90x
Over Darwen 26 16.33x
Barony 25 1.82x
Bethnal Green London 24 3.29x
Bromley London 18 4.87x
Dalkeith 17 38.29x
Enfield 17 15.42x
Liverpool 17 1.40x
West Greenock 16 6.85x
Westoe 16 5.65x
Chorlton On Medlock 15 4.74x
Everton 15 2.36x
St Pancras London 15 1.11x
Newington 14 2.26x
Wigan 13 4.67x
Willesden 13 8.21x
Glasgow 12 1.24x
Kettle 12 100.50x
Kirkpatrick Durham 12 158.52x
Mile End Old Town London 12 3.36x
Great Bolton 11 4.17x
Salford 11 1.88x
Seaham 11 60.37x
Barking 10 10.31x
Bishopwearmouth 10 2.33x
Carshalton 10 31.93x
Harlow 10 69.98x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 10 4.62x
Norwich St Augustine 10 96.06x
Springfield 10 68.82x
West Calder 10 22.54x
Woodford 10 26.64x
Bermondsey 9 1.80x
East Mersea 9 555.56x
East Norton 9 1168.83x
Edmonton 9 6.65x
Hartlepool 9 12.67x
Ickleton 9 236.22x
Limehouse London 9 4.88x
Mashbury 9 1097.56x
Newcastle On Tyne St 9 6.95x
Stocking Pelham 9 909.09x
Wardleworth 9 7.90x
Barrow In Furness 8 2.95x
Edinburgh Canongate 8 13.97x
Edinburgh High Church 8 56.66x
Edinburgh Tron Church 8 75.83x
Elmdon 8 226.63x
Hingham 8 89.49x
Luton 8 5.31x
Old Monkland 8 3.71x
Sculcoates 8 3.03x
South Leith 8 3.16x
Southwark St George Martyr 8 2.37x
Strathmartine 8 115.94x
Streatham 8 6.42x
Widnes 8 5.56x
Abinger 7 102.94x
Camberwell 7 0.65x
Clerkenwell London 7 1.77x
Croydon 7 1.54x
Latchingdon Snoreham 7 221.52x
Liff Benvie 7 2.96x
Magdalen Laver 7 736.84x
Newton 7 4.56x
Oldham 7 1.09x
Shoreditch London 7 0.96x
St Albans St Peter 7 17.92x
St Lawrence Newland 7 573.77x
St Nicholas Lincoln 7 27.27x
Sutton In Macclesfield 7 18.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 94
Elizabeth 45
Sarah 42
Eliza 30
Alice 26
Ellen 24
Ann 23
Emma 22
Annie 19
Catherine 19
Margaret 19
Emily 18
Jane 17
Susan 14
Charlotte 11
Hannah 11
Kate 11
Rose 11
Maria 10
Martha 10
Harriet 9
Louisa 9
Florence 8
Ada 7
Amelia 6
Amy 6
Caroline 6
Edith 6
Bridget 5
Esther 5
Isabella 5
Laura 5
Lucy 5
Matilda 5
Agnes 4
Anne 4
Jessie 4
Julia 4
Phoebe 4
Susannah 4
Clara 3
Ethel 3
Frances 3
Henrietta 3
Lydia 3
Margt. 3
Rebecca 3
Ruth 3
Eliz. 2
Mabel 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 93
William 75
James 55
George 47
Thomas 41
Charles 36
Edward 29
Henry 22
Joseph 22
Robert 16
Alfred 15
Walter 15
Frederick 11
Arthur 10
Francis 9
Michael 7
Daniel 6
Albert 5
Benjamin 5
Harry 5
Peter 5
Patrick 4
Samuel 4
Andrew 3
David 3
Fredk. 3
Herbert 3
Lewis 3
Richard 3
Willm. 3
Wm. 3
Bernard 2
Christopher 2
Edmund 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Frederic 2
Hans 2
Jessie 2
Martin 2
Matthew 2
Nathan 2
Nehemiah 2
Owen 2
Person 2
Stephen 2
Thos. 2
Captain 1
Fred 1

FAQ

Hoy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hoy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,340 people were recorded with the Hoy surname. That placed it at #3,059 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hoy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,780 in 2016. That gives Hoy a modern rank of #2,425.

What does the Hoy surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived on or near a hill or steep ridge.

What does the Hoy map show?

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