NameCensus.

UK surname

Hugh

A surname derived from the Brythonic element "hir" meaning long or tall.

In the 1881 census there were 795 people recorded with the Hugh surname, ranking it #4,682 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 383, ranked #12,269, down from #4,682 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Manchester and Llangafelach. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Kirkcaldy Central and Carmarthenshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hugh is 1,753 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 51.8%.

1881 census count

795

Ranked #4,682

Modern count

383

2016, ranked #12,269

Peak year

1861

1,753 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hugh had 795 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,682 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 383 in 2016, ranked #12,269.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,753 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hugh surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hugh surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hugh 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 1,346 #2,141
1861 historical 1,753 #1,647
1881 historical 795 #4,682
1891 historical 1,093 #3,867
1901 historical 753 #5,922
1911 historical 672 #6,279
1997 modern 282 #14,072
1998 modern 272 #14,846
1999 modern 274 #14,826
2000 modern 273 #14,828
2001 modern 243 #15,791
2002 modern 251 #15,770
2003 modern 260 #15,216
2004 modern 259 #15,348
2005 modern 271 #14,780
2006 modern 278 #14,623
2007 modern 281 #14,660
2008 modern 277 #14,940
2009 modern 294 #14,628
2010 modern 310 #14,378
2011 modern 319 #14,000
2012 modern 343 #13,158
2013 modern 359 #12,917
2014 modern 371 #12,689
2015 modern 364 #12,768
2016 modern 383 #12,269

Geography

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Where Hughs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Manchester, Llangafelach, Pembrey and Llanelly. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Kirkcaldy Central, Carmarthenshire and Canonmills and New Town North. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Llangafelach Glamorganshire
4 Pembrey Carmarthenshire
5 Llanelly Carmarthenshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 024 Cornwall
2 Kirkcaldy Central Fife
3 Cornwall 019 Cornwall
4 Carmarthenshire 018 Carmarthenshire
5 Canonmills and New Town North City of Edinburgh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hugh

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hugh

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Hugh is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hugh is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hugh falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hugh 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
Asian - Chinese

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

Meaning and origin of Hugh

The surname HUGH originated in England during the Middle Ages, derived from the Old French personal name "Hugue" or "Huon," which in turn came from the Germanic name "Hugo." This name was composed of the elements "hug" meaning "heart, mind, or spirit," and "wald" meaning "rule or power."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname HUGH can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land ownership and property values commissioned by William the Conqueror. The book lists several individuals with the name, such as Hugh of Grantmesnil and Hugh d'Avranches, who were Norman landowners in England.

During the medieval period, the name HUGH was particularly prevalent in the counties of Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, and Yorkshire. It is believed that some early bearers of the name may have taken it from local place names, such as Hugh Town on the Isles of Scilly or Hugh-upon-Stour in Worcestershire.

Notable historical figures with the surname HUGH include Hugh Capet (c. 938-996), who was the first King of France from the Capetian dynasty. Another prominent bearer of the name was Hugh of Lincoln (c. 1246-1255), a young boy whose death was falsely attributed to Jews, leading to increased persecution and the spread of the blood libel myth.

In the 13th century, Hugh of Avalon (c. 1135-1200) was a Carthusian monk who became the Bishop of Lincoln and was later canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church. Around the same time, Hugh of St. Victor (c. 1096-1141) was a renowned philosopher and theologian who made significant contributions to the development of medieval scholasticism.

Another notable figure was Hugh Latimer (c. 1485-1555), who was a leader of the English Reformation and one of the most influential Protestant martyrs. He was eventually burned at the stake for his religious beliefs during the reign of Queen Mary I.

While the surname HUGH has its origins in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through British colonization and migration. Over time, various spelling variations have emerged, such as Hughs, Hew, and Hough, but the core meaning and historical significance of the name remain rooted in its English heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hugh families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hugh 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. Fife leads with 189 Hughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.33x.

County Total Index
Fife 189 41.33x
Carmarthenshire 112 34.40x
Glamorgan 76 5.65x
Cornwall 68 7.77x
Lancashire 49 0.53x
Middlesex 49 0.63x
Yorkshire 29 0.38x
Lanarkshire 22 0.88x
Cheshire 21 1.23x
Lincolnshire 20 1.62x
Durham 16 0.70x
Gloucestershire 13 0.86x
West Lothian 13 11.17x
Derbyshire 12 0.99x
Surrey 11 0.29x
Nottinghamshire 9 0.86x
Pembrokeshire 9 3.67x
Caernarfonshire 7 2.24x
Devon 7 0.44x
Northamptonshire 6 0.83x
Denbighshire 4 1.37x
Montgomeryshire 4 2.26x
Essex 3 0.20x
Herefordshire 3 0.95x
Kent 3 0.11x
Northumberland 3 0.26x
Staffordshire 3 0.12x
Warwickshire 3 0.15x
Angus 2 0.28x
Cardiganshire 2 1.06x
Flintshire 2 0.96x
Leicestershire 2 0.23x
Renfrewshire 2 0.33x
Shropshire 2 0.30x
Anglesey 1 0.73x
Argyllshire 1 0.47x
Ayrshire 1 0.17x
Berwickshire 1 1.07x
Cumberland 1 0.15x
Dorset 1 0.20x
East Lothian 1 0.98x
Isle of Man 1 0.70x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.89x
Midlothian 1 0.10x
Monmouthshire 1 0.18x
Oxfordshire 1 0.21x
Ross-shire 1 0.47x
Roxburghshire 1 0.71x
Somerset 1 0.08x
Sussex 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Pittenweem in Fife leads with 135 Hughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 2393.62x.

Place Total Index
Pittenweem 135 2393.62x
Llanelly 60 81.81x
Pembrey 35 233.80x
Wemyss 26 134.37x
Auchterderran 20 173.91x
Veryan 18 530.97x
Bathgate 12 47.51x
Sutterton 12 487.80x
Govan 11 1.78x
Creed 10 1562.50x
Gloucester St Nicholas 10 142.45x
St Mabyn 10 740.74x
Worsbrough 10 44.58x
Hartington Town Quarter 9 789.47x
Islington London 9 1.20x
Llangyfelach 9 178.57x
Llantrisant 9 26.54x
Ystradyfodwg 9 7.63x
Kidwelly 8 120.30x
Liverpool 8 1.44x
Llandilo Talybont 8 113.31x
Llanguick 8 33.20x
St Austell 8 26.76x
Fulham London 7 6.25x
Iveston 7 66.10x
Llansamlet Lower 7 57.47x
Manchester 7 1.70x
Tregoney St James 7 432.10x
Altrincham 6 20.13x
Barony 6 0.95x
Northampton St Sepulchre 6 16.23x
Probus 6 167.13x
Dalziel 5 18.60x
Lambeth 5 0.74x
Lancaster 5 9.17x
Llantwit Major 5 190.84x
Newport 5 125.63x
Preston 5 2.04x
St Pancras London 5 0.80x
St Stephen Walbrook 5 1851.85x
Stockport 5 5.70x
Dunfermline 4 5.69x
Everton 4 1.37x
Kenwyn 4 17.49x
Laugharne 4 92.59x
Margam 4 26.67x
Nottingham St Mary 4 1.49x
Poplar London 4 2.74x
Sheffield 4 1.64x
Shoreditch London 4 1.19x
Snenton 4 9.78x
St Luke London 4 3.23x
Swansea Town 4 3.63x
Abererch 3 65.65x
Aston 3 0.56x
Atherton 3 8.99x
Bristol St Augustine 3 12.27x
Cerrig Y Druidion 3 106.38x
Derby St Alkmund 3 8.28x
Gosberton 3 54.64x
Hackney London 3 0.69x
Hexham 3 16.86x
Huddersfield 3 2.69x
Keighley 3 3.68x
Llanbrynmair 3 71.77x
Llangennech 3 57.47x
St Ewe 3 113.21x
Whitworth 3 17.83x
Chester St John Baptist 2 6.53x
Chester St Peter St 2 109.29x
Hulme 2 1.04x
Kinghorn 2 20.60x
Leslie 2 17.27x
Llanbeblig 2 6.31x
Quadring 2 84.03x
Radyr 2 145.99x
Salcombe Regis 2 132.45x
Sedgefield 2 24.42x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 1.29x
Wakefield 2 3.40x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 57
Elizabeth 25
Margaret 19
Ann 18
Sarah 14
Jane 10
Catherine 9
Eliza 9
Emma 7
Alice 5
Annie 5
Hannah 5
Emily 4
Esther 4
Louisa 4
Martha 4
Charlotte 3
Frances 3
Beatrice 2
Cathrine 2
Christina 2
Edith 2
Ellen 2
Fanny 2
Grace 2
Harriet 2
Margaretta 2
Rebecca 2
Sibbella 2
Anna 1
Anne 1
Bertha 1
Betsey 1
Betsy 1
Bridget 1
Caroline 1
Dorinda 1
Dorothy 1
Ester 1
Ethel 1
Evangeline 1
Hetty 1
Joyce 1
Judith 1
Lilian 1
Lousia 1
Loveday 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Magaret 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 36
Thomas 35
William 35
David 26
Edward 10
Henry 10
James 9
Charles 7
George 7
Joseph 7
Samuel 5
Francis 4
Richard 4
Arthur 3
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Michael 3
Morgan 3
Patrick 3
C.G. 2
Dd. 2
Fredrick 2
Griffith 2
Harry 2
Jenkin 2
Owen 2
Robert 2
Thos. 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Anthony 1
Aron 1
Bernard 1
Charley 1
Clark 1
Emerton 1
Enoch 1
Evan 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
G.M. 1
Gelly 1
Hugh 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Josiah 1
Leonard 1
Martin 1
Matthew 1
Wm.Jno. 1

FAQ

Hugh surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hugh surname in 1881?

In 1881, 795 people were recorded with the Hugh surname. That placed it at #4,682 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hugh surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 383 in 2016. That gives Hugh a modern rank of #12,269.

What does the Hugh surname mean?

A surname derived from the Brythonic element "hir" meaning long or tall.

What does the Hugh map show?

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