UK surname
Derived from the Middle High German word "hoyer" or "hoger," meaning a person who makes and sells hats.
In the 1881 census there were 31 people recorded with the Hoyer surname, ranking it #29,218 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 73, ranked #33,502, down from #29,218 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Winwick, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hoyer is 111 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 135.5%.
1881 census count
31
Ranked #29,218
Modern count
73
2016, ranked #33,502
Peak year
1861
111 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Hoyer surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Hoyer 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 | 111 | #19,429 |
| 1881 | historical | 31 | #29,218 |
| 1891 | historical | 52 | #30,061 |
| 1901 | historical | 33 | #30,384 |
| 1911 | historical | 47 | #28,110 |
| 1997 | modern | 64 | #31,233 |
| 1998 | modern | 65 | #31,477 |
| 1999 | modern | 68 | #31,311 |
| 2000 | modern | 69 | #31,273 |
| 2001 | modern | 73 | #30,699 |
| 2002 | modern | 67 | #31,723 |
| 2003 | modern | 76 | #30,883 |
| 2004 | modern | 83 | #30,352 |
| 2005 | modern | 80 | #30,842 |
| 2006 | modern | 75 | #31,733 |
| 2007 | modern | 77 | #31,856 |
| 2008 | modern | 86 | #31,114 |
| 2009 | modern | 91 | #30,944 |
| 2010 | modern | 81 | #32,582 |
| 2011 | modern | 73 | #33,230 |
| 2012 | modern | 72 | #33,502 |
| 2013 | modern | 70 | #33,753 |
| 2014 | modern | 69 | #33,833 |
| 2015 | modern | 72 | #33,595 |
| 2016 | modern | 73 | #33,502 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Winwick, London parishes, Manchester, Floore and St Mary Islington. 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 | Winwick | Lancashire |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 4 | Floore | Northamptonshire |
| 5 | St Mary Islington | London (North Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Hoyer 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 Hoyer, 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 Hoyer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Hoyer 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, Hoyer 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 Hoyer is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Hoyer, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Hoyer originated in Germany and is derived from the German word "Hoyer," which refers to a hay farmer or someone who worked with hay. It is believed to have emerged as an occupational surname in the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century.
The name is thought to have originated in the regions of Lower Saxony and Westphalia, where hay farming was a prevalent occupation. Over time, the name spread to other parts of Germany and neighboring countries, such as the Netherlands and Denmark.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Hoyer can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from the medieval period in Saxony, dating back to the 13th century. In this document, the name appears in various spellings, including "Hoyere" and "Hoier."
In the 14th century, a prominent individual named Johann Hoyer was mentioned in the records of the city of Lübeck, a major trading center in northern Germany. He was a merchant and guild member.
Another notable figure with this surname was Hans Hoyer, a German printer and publisher who lived in the 15th century. He established a printing press in the city of Nuremberg and was known for publishing works by humanist scholars and writers.
During the 16th century, the name Hoyer appeared in various historical records across Germany, including municipal documents and church registers. One example is Peter Hoyer, a Protestant theologian and reformer born in 1519 in Saxony.
In the 17th century, Johann Hoyer, a German jurist and legal scholar, gained recognition for his work on criminal law and legal reform. He was born in 1642 in the city of Halle and served as a professor at the University of Leipzig.
Another notable figure with the surname Hoyer was Carl Hoyer, a German architect and urban planner born in 1840. He was instrumental in the redesign and modernization of several German cities, including Berlin and Frankfurt.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hoyer 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 11 Hoyers recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.07x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 11 | 3.07x |
| Yorkshire | 10 | 3.34x |
| Surrey | 7 | 4.75x |
| Kent | 2 | 1.94x |
| Glamorgan | 1 | 1.90x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Crosby in Lancashire leads with 7 Hoyers recorded in 1881 and an index of 714.29x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Great Crosby | 7 | 714.29x |
| Thornton In Bradford | 6 | 600.00x |
| Lambeth | 5 | 18.97x |
| Huddersfield | 4 | 91.53x |
| Kirkdale | 4 | 66.23x |
| Egham | 2 | 222.22x |
| Bromley | 1 | 63.69x |
| Cardiff St John | 1 | 58.14x |
| Lewisham | 1 | 18.18x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Hoyer surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Hoyer surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
FAQ
In 1881, 31 people were recorded with the Hoyer surname. That placed it at #29,218 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 73 in 2016. That gives Hoyer a modern rank of #33,502.
Derived from the Middle High German word "hoyer" or "hoger," meaning a person who makes and sells hats.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Hoyer 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.