NameCensus.

UK surname

Hubble

Derived from a Middle English nickname for a hunchback or a connection to a hub or high point.

In the 1881 census there were 711 people recorded with the Hubble surname, ranking it #5,114 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,086, ranked #5,382, down from #5,114 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dudley, Tunbridge, Bidborough and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Sandwell and Stoke-on-Trent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hubble is 1,234 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.7%.

1881 census count

711

Ranked #5,114

Modern count

1,086

2016, ranked #5,382

Peak year

2002

1,234 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hubble had 711 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,114 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,086 in 2016, ranked #5,382.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,227 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Hubble surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hubble surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hubble 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 398 #6,057
1861 historical 439 #5,872
1881 historical 711 #5,114
1891 historical 816 #4,960
1901 historical 1,069 #4,517
1911 historical 1,227 #3,850
1997 modern 1,140 #4,921
1998 modern 1,190 #4,918
1999 modern 1,211 #4,890
2000 modern 1,208 #4,870
2001 modern 1,177 #4,893
2002 modern 1,234 #4,779
2003 modern 1,173 #4,900
2004 modern 1,181 #4,876
2005 modern 1,137 #4,991
2006 modern 1,134 #4,996
2007 modern 1,140 #5,021
2008 modern 1,137 #5,075
2009 modern 1,165 #5,068
2010 modern 1,200 #5,046
2011 modern 1,165 #5,116
2012 modern 1,137 #5,143
2013 modern 1,127 #5,272
2014 modern 1,119 #5,321
2015 modern 1,101 #5,345
2016 modern 1,086 #5,382

Geography

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Where Hubbles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dudley, Tunbridge, Bidborough, London parishes, St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Sandwell, Stoke-on-Trent and Maidstone. 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 Dudley Staffordshire
2 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford London (South Districts)
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 011 County Durham
2 Sandwell 001 Sandwell
3 Stoke-on-Trent 017 Stoke-on-Trent
4 County Durham 036 County Durham
5 Maidstone 014 Maidstone

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hubble

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hubble

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Hubble is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Hubble 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

Hubble falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hubble is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hubble

The surname Hubble is of English origin, deriving from a place name referring to a small hill or outcrop of land. It is believed to have emerged in the late 12th or early 13th century, with the earliest recorded instances found in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John de Hubbelowe, mentioned in the Coroner's Rolls of Yorkshire in 1315. The name is also found in the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire in 1332, listed as Ricardus del Hubilhow. These early spellings, such as Hubbelowe and Hubilhow, reflect the local dialect and pronunciation of the area.

The Hubble surname is thought to have derived from the Old English words "hob" or "hup," meaning a small hill or raised ground, combined with the word "hyll" or "howe," meaning a hill or mound. This suggests that the name originated from individuals who lived near or on a small elevated landform.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are references to several places with similar names, such as Hubberholme in Yorkshire, which could have contributed to the development of the surname. The Domesday Book also mentions landowners with similar names, like Hubald and Hubert, which may have been early variants of the surname.

Notable bearers of the Hubble surname include:

1. Edwin Powell Hubble (1889-1953), an American astronomer renowned for his contributions to the field of cosmology and the discovery of the expansion of the universe.

2. Thomas Hubble (1737-1804), an English clockmaker and inventor from Bolton, Lancashire, known for his work on perpetual motion machines.

3. John Hubble (1670-1717), an English Puritan minister and author, best known for his book "A Narrative of the Trouble and Persecution of the People Called Quakers."

4. William Hubble (1807-1873), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in Manchester and surrounding areas.

5. Robert Hubble (1816-1891), an English businessman and philanthropist, who founded the Hubble Trust for the education of underprivileged children in Derbyshire.

While the Hubble surname originated in England, it later spread to other parts of the world, particularly through emigration to North America and other English-speaking countries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hubble families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hubble 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. Kent leads with 220 Hubbles recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.30x.

County Total Index
Kent 220 9.30x
Surrey 107 3.17x
Staffordshire 87 3.72x
Middlesex 83 1.20x
Worcestershire 63 6.96x
Warwickshire 46 2.63x
Leicestershire 31 4.03x
Sussex 20 1.71x
Essex 12 0.88x
Derbyshire 11 1.01x
Shropshire 9 1.50x
Hertfordshire 7 1.46x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.53x
Cheshire 3 0.20x
Hampshire 2 0.14x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.24x
Gloucestershire 1 0.07x
Lancashire 1 0.01x
Midlothian 1 0.11x
Oxfordshire 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 51 Hubbles recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.51x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 51 11.51x
Dudley 45 40.87x
Tonbridge 43 50.38x
Deptford St Paul 33 18.08x
Birmingham 31 5.32x
Leicester St Margaret 22 11.73x
Battersea 19 7.44x
Kinver 19 281.48x
Lewisham 18 14.26x
Aston 15 3.11x
East Malling 15 265.02x
Greenwich 15 13.59x
Acton 14 34.43x
Islington London 13 1.93x
Paddington London 11 4.31x
Tipton 11 15.34x
Clerkenwell London 10 6.11x
Bermondsey 9 4.36x
Derby St Alkmund 9 27.66x
Edgmond 9 136.36x
Hunton 9 434.78x
Kidderminster Borough 9 16.98x
Leicester St Mary 9 14.49x
Walsall Borough 9 49.53x
Wateringbury 9 291.26x
West Ham 9 2.98x
Eccleshall 8 90.09x
Lee 8 23.28x
Streatham 8 15.55x
Wadhurst 8 104.17x
Brasted 7 228.01x
Bromley London 7 4.59x
Bushey 7 61.51x
Lambeth 7 1.16x
Walsall Foreign 7 5.79x
Wrotham 7 89.29x
Beckenham 6 19.40x
Offham 6 705.88x
Brighton 5 2.12x
Chevening 5 193.80x
Maidstone 5 7.09x
Nottingham St Mary 5 2.07x
Rowley Regis 5 7.66x
Wednesbury 5 8.55x
Wolstanton Chesterton 5 41.77x
Allington 4 1142.86x
Claines 4 16.09x
Enville 4 217.39x
St George Hanover Square 4 3.27x
Sutton 4 16.36x
Hanworth 3 123.46x
Kensington London 3 0.78x
Northfleet 3 14.39x
Plumstead 3 3.80x
Putney 3 9.49x
Richmond 3 6.33x
St Luke London 3 2.70x
West Malling 3 56.29x
Wolstanton 3 4.22x
Yalding 3 50.17x
Alfreton 2 6.06x
Bilston 2 4.41x
Capel 2 150.38x
Colton 2 124.22x
Croydon 2 1.07x
Dartford 2 8.26x
Kings Norton 2 2.46x
Lichfield St Chad 2 37.95x
Lindridge 2 87.34x
Mile End Old Town London 2 1.35x
Milton In Gravesend 2 5.64x
Monks Coppenhall 2 3.46x
Portsea 2 0.72x
Rotherfield 2 19.42x
Sedgley 2 2.30x
Sevenoaks 2 10.42x
St Andrew Holborn London 2 6.66x
St Marylebone London 2 0.54x
St Michael Crooked Lane 2 1333.33x
Willesden 2 3.06x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 49
John 37
George 26
Thomas 25
Henry 22
James 18
Charles 14
Alfred 12
Robert 12
Arthur 11
Albert 9
Joseph 9
Edward 8
Samuel 7
Walter 7
Frederick 6
Benjamin 5
Ernest 5
Harry 5
Edwin 4
Richard 4
David 3
Stephen 3
Daniel 2
E. 2
Edmund 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Horace 2
Steven 2
Sylvester 2
Wm. 2
Alfd. 1
Amos 1
Chs. 1
Corneleus 1
Cyrl. 1
Emily 1
Frances 1
Frank 1
Fred. 1
Fred.T. 1
Fredk.W. 1
Geo 1
Howard 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 1
Joel 1

FAQ

Hubble surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hubble surname in 1881?

In 1881, 711 people were recorded with the Hubble surname. That placed it at #5,114 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hubble surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,086 in 2016. That gives Hubble a modern rank of #5,382.

What does the Hubble surname mean?

Derived from a Middle English nickname for a hunchback or a connection to a hub or high point.

What does the Hubble map show?

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