NameCensus.

UK surname

Hughs

A surname derived from the personal name Hugh, itself from the Germanic "Hugi" meaning heart, mind, or spirit.

In the 1881 census there were 1,087 people recorded with the Hughs surname, ranking it #3,661 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 112, ranked #28,844, down from #3,661 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Llanfaelog, Manchester and Merthyr Tydfil. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Great Yarmouth, Cardiff and Hounslow.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hughs is 2,163 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 89.7%.

1881 census count

1,087

Ranked #3,661

Modern count

112

2016, ranked #28,844

Peak year

1861

2,163 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hughs had 1,087 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,661 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 112 in 2016, ranked #28,844.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,163 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Hughs surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hughs surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hughs 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 2,158 #1,354
1861 historical 2,163 #1,350
1881 historical 1,087 #3,661
1891 historical 864 #4,747
1901 historical 455 #8,641
1911 historical 342 #10,445
1997 modern 103 #26,498
1998 modern 113 #25,731
1999 modern 122 #24,745
2000 modern 102 #27,425
2001 modern 97 #27,823
2002 modern 96 #28,534
2003 modern 88 #29,506
2004 modern 79 #30,799
2005 modern 77 #31,156
2006 modern 96 #28,946
2007 modern 101 #28,505
2008 modern 119 #26,067
2009 modern 116 #27,062
2010 modern 124 #26,582
2011 modern 115 #27,634
2012 modern 107 #29,017
2013 modern 111 #28,856
2014 modern 112 #28,934
2015 modern 114 #28,478
2016 modern 112 #28,844

Geography

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Where Hughs' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Llanfaelog, Manchester, Merthyr Tydfil, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Great Yarmouth, Cardiff, Hounslow and Portobello. 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 Llanfaelog Anglesey
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Merthyr Tydfil Glamorganshire
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Great Yarmouth 009 Great Yarmouth
2 Cardiff 028 Cardiff
3 Hounslow 023 Hounslow
4 Great Yarmouth 011 Great Yarmouth
5 Portobello City of Edinburgh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hughs

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hughs

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hughs, 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 Hughs surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Hughs 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, Hughs 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

Hughs 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

Hughs 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 Hughs is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hughs

The surname Hughs has its origins in the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It is a patronymic name derived from the personal name Hugh, which itself is derived from the Old German word "hug" meaning heart, mind, or soul. This name was introduced to Britain by the Normans after their conquest in 1066.

The earliest recorded instance of the Hughs surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Hughe" and "Hugges". This record suggests that the name was already well-established in England by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the Hughs family held lands and estates in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Gloucestershire, and Oxfordshire. One notable member of the family was Sir Hugh Hughs, a knight who fought alongside King Edward III in the Battle of Crécy during the Hundred Years' War in 1346.

In the 16th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, including Hughes, Hewes, and Hughse. One prominent individual with this name was John Hughes (1522-1600), an Anglican clergyman and scholar who served as the Bishop of St. Asaph in Wales.

The 17th century saw the rise of several notable individuals bearing the Hughs surname, such as Robert Hughes (1592-1658), a Welsh clergyman and author who wrote extensively on religious subjects. Another significant figure was Edward Hughes (1638-1719), a Welsh mathematician and geographer who made important contributions to the study of longitude and navigation.

As the centuries progressed, the Hughs family continued to make their mark in various fields. Some noteworthy individuals include John Hughes (1797-1864), an English poet and essayist, and Thomas Hughes (1822-1896), an English lawyer and author best known for his novel "Tom Brown's Schooldays".

It is worth mentioning that the Hughs surname has also been associated with various place names throughout history, such as Hughesfield in Buckinghamshire and Hughe's Mill in Oxfordshire. These place names serve as a reminder of the family's long-standing presence and influence in different regions of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hughs families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hughs 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. Lanarkshire leads with 118 Hughs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.44x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 118 3.44x
Lancashire 109 0.87x
Durham 92 2.92x
Glamorgan 84 4.55x
Middlesex 71 0.67x
Yorkshire 41 0.39x
Surrey 40 0.77x
Montgomeryshire 36 14.82x
Warwickshire 31 1.16x
Staffordshire 28 0.78x
Carmarthenshire 25 5.59x
Cheshire 24 1.03x
Shropshire 24 2.62x
Ayrshire 22 2.77x
Pembrokeshire 21 6.23x
Worcestershire 21 1.52x
Somerset 20 1.17x
Sussex 20 1.12x
Caernarfonshire 19 4.43x
Northumberland 19 1.20x
Derbyshire 16 0.96x
Kent 16 0.44x
Denbighshire 15 3.74x
Angus 14 1.43x
Midlothian 13 0.92x
Radnorshire 13 15.20x
Renfrewshire 11 1.34x
Flintshire 10 3.51x
Herefordshire 10 2.30x
Cumberland 9 0.99x
Stirlingshire 9 2.30x
Gloucestershire 8 0.38x
Monmouthshire 8 1.04x
Berkshire 7 0.88x
Anglesey 6 3.19x
Essex 6 0.29x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.42x
Suffolk 6 0.46x
Hampshire 5 0.23x
West Lothian 5 3.13x
Merionethshire 4 2.06x
Westmorland 4 1.72x
Cornwall 3 0.25x
Dumfriesshire 3 1.28x
Selkirkshire 3 3.13x
Fife 2 0.32x
Lincolnshire 2 0.12x
Perthshire 2 0.42x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.10x
Devon 1 0.05x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.35x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.65x
Northamptonshire 1 0.10x
Wiltshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 48 Hughs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.53x.

Place Total Index
Barony 48 5.53x
Islington London 29 2.82x
Cwmdu 26 115.61x
Gorton 18 15.22x
Glasgow 16 2.63x
Llanwyddelan 16 1142.86x
Lambeth 15 1.62x
Oswestry Rural 15 106.84x
Barrow In Furness 14 8.18x
New Monkland 14 13.81x
Birmingham 13 1.46x
Dalry 13 34.82x
Dundee 13 3.54x
Bangor 12 29.02x
Penarth 12 66.52x
Aston 11 1.49x
Redworth 11 547.26x
Benfieldside 10 48.19x
Boldon 10 88.97x
Dulverton 10 200.00x
Liverpool 10 1.31x
Llandewy 10 2564.10x
Pembrey 10 48.66x
Altrincham 9 22.00x
Govan 9 1.06x
Heckmondwike 9 26.63x
Lewisham 9 4.67x
Llanelly 9 8.94x
Llanrwst 9 64.89x
Merthyr Tydfil 9 5.07x
Mold Leeswood 9 139.53x
Rotherhithe 9 6.87x
Cockerton 8 79.05x
Hastings St Andrew 8 124.81x
Orcop 8 398.01x
St Luke London 8 4.70x
West Derby 8 2.17x
Wolstanton Golden 8 1860.47x
Abbey 7 5.58x
Bothwell 7 7.53x
Cadder 7 27.64x
Chorley 7 9.92x
Forden 7 211.48x
Kirkdale 7 3.31x
Llanguick 7 21.16x
Newton 7 7.22x
Shotton 7 89.74x
Somerton 7 100.43x
West Auckland 7 60.71x
Appleton 6 113.21x
Caldewgate 6 12.00x
Gateshead 6 2.54x
Halifax 6 3.89x
Linthorpe 6 9.57x
Llangeinor 6 55.20x
St Edrins 6 1818.18x
St Ninians 6 15.48x
Stannington 6 160.00x
Stourbridge 6 16.84x
Assington 5 185.19x
Belper 5 15.54x
Bethnal Green London 5 1.09x
Edinburgh St Johns 5 55.74x
Glossop Dale 5 6.43x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 5 3.66x
Kensington London 5 0.85x
Llanbadarnfynydd 5 229.36x
Llanidloes 5 27.76x
Llanwnda 5 62.89x
Monks Kirby 5 85.03x
Old Monkland 5 3.67x
St Ishmaels 5 290.70x
Sutton 5 13.38x
Toxteth Park 5 1.17x
Wingate 5 23.12x
Bedwellty 4 2.96x
Livingstone 4 73.39x
Llaniestyn 4 300.75x
Nottingham St Peter 4 25.11x
White Waltham 4 134.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 60
Elizabeth 42
Sarah 32
Jane 31
Ann 23
Margaret 16
Ellen 14
Alice 10
Annie 9
Catherine 9
Eliza 9
Emma 9
Hannah 9
Emily 8
Harriet 6
Maria 6
Ruth 6
Anne 5
Fanny 5
Martha 5
Caroline 4
M. 4
Margret 4
Amelia 3
Charlotte 3
Clara 3
Eleanor 3
Isabella 3
Kate 3
Dorothy 2
Edith 2
Esther 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Gwenllian 2
Jessie 2
Rachel 2
Rebecca 2
Rhoda 2
Rose 2
Bridget 1
Calhenna 1
Elenor 1
Elinor 1
Elisabeth 1
Eliz. 1
Elizbeth 1
Henrietta 1
Infant 1
Isabel 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 73
William 51
Thomas 40
James 29
George 23
Richard 17
Edward 15
David 13
Henry 13
Joseph 12
Robert 11
Charles 9
Francis 8
Alfred 7
Arthur 7
Samuel 6
Walter 6
Daniel 5
Frederick 5
Patrick 5
Albert 4
Hugh 4
Peter 4
Edwin 3
Geo. 3
Henery 3
Morris 3
Owen 3
Benjamin 2
Edmund 2
Harry 2
Isaac 2
Jenkin 2
Lenard 2
Martin 2
Rees 2
Timothy 2
Barnard 1
Davd 1
Dennis 1
Ephraim 1
Esiah 1
Frank 1
Franklin 1
Fransis 1
Fred 1
Fredc. 1
J.R. 1
Jonah 1
Zachariah 1

FAQ

Hughs surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hughs surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,087 people were recorded with the Hughs surname. That placed it at #3,661 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hughs surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 112 in 2016. That gives Hughs a modern rank of #28,844.

What does the Hughs surname mean?

A surname derived from the personal name Hugh, itself from the Germanic "Hugi" meaning heart, mind, or spirit.

What does the Hughs map show?

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