NameCensus.

UK surname

Hoyle

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a holly tree or in a holly grove.

In the 1881 census there were 6,905 people recorded with the Hoyle surname, ranking it #615 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,564, ranked #1,207, down from #615 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Bury and Halifax. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rossendale, Calderdale and Rotherham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hoyle is 8,041 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 19.4%.

1881 census count

6,905

Ranked #615

Modern count

5,564

2016, ranked #1,207

Peak year

1911

8,041 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hoyle had 6,905 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #615 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,564 in 2016, ranked #1,207.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8,041 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Hoyle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hoyle surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hoyle 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 4,259 #666
1861 historical 4,331 #658
1881 historical 6,905 #615
1891 historical 6,950 #648
1901 historical 7,446 #722
1911 historical 8,041 #628
1997 modern 5,674 #1,152
1998 modern 5,835 #1,157
1999 modern 5,882 #1,157
2000 modern 5,877 #1,150
2001 modern 5,758 #1,151
2002 modern 5,852 #1,157
2003 modern 5,658 #1,164
2004 modern 5,651 #1,161
2005 modern 5,567 #1,160
2006 modern 5,517 #1,175
2007 modern 5,558 #1,172
2008 modern 5,608 #1,168
2009 modern 5,619 #1,199
2010 modern 5,724 #1,206
2011 modern 5,615 #1,213
2012 modern 5,548 #1,200
2013 modern 5,675 #1,194
2014 modern 5,657 #1,207
2015 modern 5,586 #1,207
2016 modern 5,564 #1,207

Geography

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Where Hoyles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Bury, Halifax, Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) and Whalley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rossendale, Calderdale, Rotherham and Sheffield. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Bury Lancashire
3 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire
5 Whalley Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rossendale 009 Rossendale
2 Rossendale 010 Rossendale
3 Calderdale 026 Calderdale
4 Rotherham 002 Rotherham
5 Sheffield 001 Sheffield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hoyle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hoyle

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Hoyle surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hoyle household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Hoyle 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

Hoyle is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hoyle 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 Hoyle 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 Hoyle, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hoyle

The surname HOYLE has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a topographic name derived from the Old English word "hol," meaning a small valley or hollow. This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name likely resided in or near such a geographical feature.

The earliest known record of the surname HOYLE appears in the Hundred Rolls of Yorkshire in 1273, where one William del Hol was mentioned. This indicates that the name was well-established in the northern counties of England by the 13th century.

Over time, the name evolved from its original form of "del Hol" to "Hole" and eventually "Hoyle." This change in spelling was likely influenced by regional dialects and the adaptation of the name to local pronunciations.

In the 14th century, the HOYLE surname appeared in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, where John del Hoyle and Agnes del Hoyle were listed. This record suggests that the name had spread across different areas of Yorkshire by that time.

One notable bearer of the HOYLE surname was Edmond Hoyle (1672-1769), a renowned English writer and authority on the rules of various games, particularly whist. His book "A Short Treatise on the Game of Whist" became a standard reference work and contributed to the popularization of the term "according to Hoyle," which is still used today to indicate adherence to established rules or norms.

Another famous HOYLE was Sir William Hoyle (1860-1940), a British civil engineer and architect who designed several notable buildings in India during the British Raj, including the Victoria Memorial in Kolkata.

In the United States, the HOYLE surname can be traced back to early colonial times. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Thomas Hoyle, who arrived in Virginia in 1635.

The HOYLE name has also been associated with several places in England, such as Hoyle Mill in Lancashire and Hoyle House in Yorkshire, further reinforcing its connection to the region's geography and history.

It's worth noting that the HOYLE surname has undergone various spelling variations throughout history, including Hoil, Hoile, Hoyle, and Hoyll, reflecting the fluidity of surname spellings in earlier times.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hoyle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hoyle 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. Lancashire leads with 3,190 Hoyles recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.99x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 3,190 3.99x
Yorkshire 2,825 4.23x
Cheshire 168 1.13x
Devon 161 1.15x
Middlesex 96 0.14x
Derbyshire 65 0.62x
Durham 62 0.31x
Cornwall 38 0.50x
Somerset 35 0.32x
Surrey 31 0.09x
Kent 23 0.10x
Lincolnshire 23 0.21x
Northumberland 23 0.23x
Nottinghamshire 19 0.21x
Lanarkshire 14 0.06x
Hertfordshire 13 0.28x
Sussex 13 0.11x
Gloucestershire 12 0.09x
Hampshire 12 0.09x
Glamorgan 11 0.09x
Staffordshire 11 0.05x
Essex 8 0.06x
Monmouthshire 8 0.16x
Cumberland 5 0.09x
Isle of Man 5 0.40x
Leicestershire 5 0.07x
Royal Navy 5 0.62x
Warwickshire 5 0.03x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.14x
Wiltshire 3 0.05x
Worcestershire 3 0.03x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.05x
Denbighshire 2 0.08x
Midlothian 2 0.02x
Shropshire 2 0.03x
Westmorland 2 0.14x
Ayrshire 1 0.02x
Berkshire 1 0.02x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.04x
Dorset 1 0.02x
Norfolk 1 0.01x
Oxfordshire 1 0.02x
Perthshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Spotland in Lancashire leads with 348 Hoyles recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.12x.

Place Total Index
Spotland 348 39.12x
Newchurch 269 41.10x
Bury 192 21.01x
Castleton 183 22.90x
Haslingden 181 54.63x
Halifax 149 15.19x
Accrington 140 19.25x
Oldham 111 4.30x
Ovenden 104 34.97x
Wardleworth 104 22.75x
Ashton Under Lyne 94 5.38x
Leeds 91 2.41x
Huddersfield 86 8.83x
Skircoat 80 30.36x
Keighley 79 11.09x
Slaithwaite 78 112.13x
Dewsbury 72 10.51x
Radcliffe 72 18.67x
Warley 68 35.21x
Blackburn 64 3.01x
Linthwaite 61 43.44x
Sowerby In Halifax 61 27.92x
Walmersley Cum 61 47.72x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 57 33.82x
Stainland Cum Old 55 48.10x
Preston 52 2.43x
Higher Booths 51 35.36x
Little Bolton 51 4.96x
Wuerdle Wardle 51 21.00x
North Bierley 50 13.86x
Hipperholme Cum 49 16.69x
Norland 47 102.49x
Stayley 47 27.63x
Bradford 46 2.84x
Tottington Lower End 46 12.10x
Northowram 45 9.61x
Golcar 44 24.91x
Longwood 43 39.93x
Elland Cum Greetland 42 13.95x
Colne 41 17.20x
Manchester 41 1.14x
Bradfield 40 15.53x
Manningham 40 4.86x
Wooldale 40 35.30x
Blatchinworth 38 20.86x
Elton 38 13.75x
Southowram 38 18.63x
Lockwood 37 15.39x
Tottington Higher End 37 40.63x
Upperthong 37 65.12x
Cleckheaton 34 13.81x
Bideford 33 21.95x
Barnsley 32 4.64x
Chipping 32 140.47x
Chorlton On Medlock 29 2.28x
Lancaster 29 6.09x
Butterworth 28 14.36x
Clifton In Halifax 28 70.12x
Lower Booths 28 19.53x
Brightside Bierlow 27 2.06x
Cowling 26 60.02x
Saddleworth 26 5.04x
Burnley 25 3.71x
Clitheroe 25 10.62x
West Derby 25 1.07x
Wyke In Bradford 25 20.92x
Headingley Cum Burley 24 5.58x
Marsden In Almondbury 24 39.48x
Batley 23 3.62x
Bowling 23 3.48x
Thornton In Bradford 23 10.34x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 22 25.73x
Sheffield 22 1.03x
Wadsworth 22 20.23x
Heap 21 4.95x
Clayton 20 12.23x
Peak Forest 20 173.61x
Salford 20 0.85x
Normanton 19 9.46x
Shelley 19 48.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 564
Sarah 344
Elizabeth 265
Alice 177
Ann 146
Jane 141
Hannah 140
Martha 117
Emma 111
Ellen 99
Annie 94
Margaret 87
Eliza 69
Emily 58
Clara 48
Betty 46
Edith 44
Harriet 44
Ada 37
Maria 34
Fanny 28
Betsy 26
Susannah 26
Florence 24
Ruth 24
Isabella 23
Agnes 22
Grace 21
Caroline 20
Esther 20
Frances 20
Bertha 19
Louisa 19
Nancy 19
Charlotte 18
Catherine 17
Susan 17
Lucy 16
Lydia 15
Rachel 14
Rebecca 13
Anne 12
Ethel 12
Selina 11
Lilly 10
Amelia 9
Eleanor 9
Eliz. 9
Kate 9
Minnie 9

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 456
James 314
William 306
Thomas 188
George 184
Joseph 134
Henry 98
Richard 79
Robert 79
Charles 72
Samuel 69
Arthur 57
Edward 47
Alfred 46
Albert 45
Herbert 44
Walter 39
Fred 38
Harry 36
Joshua 36
Eli 27
David 25
Frank 24
Edwin 23
Benjamin 22
Ernest 21
Frederick 20
Isaac 20
Tom 20
Giles 19
Sam 16
Luke 15
Joe 14
Wm. 14
Abraham 12
Anthony 12
Thos. 12
Francis 11
Jno. 11
Jonas 10
Jonathan 9
Squire 9
Allen 8
Geo. 8
Mark 8
Percy 8
Ben 7
Harold 7
Willie 7
Andrew 6

FAQ

Hoyle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hoyle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6,905 people were recorded with the Hoyle surname. That placed it at #615 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hoyle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,564 in 2016. That gives Hoyle a modern rank of #1,207.

What does the Hoyle surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a holly tree or in a holly grove.

What does the Hoyle map show?

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