NameCensus.

UK surname

Hulm

A surname originating from places named "Hulm", derived from the Old English words "holm" meaning a small island or "holmr" meaning a river meadow or water-meadow.

In the 1881 census there were 134 people recorded with the Hulm surname, ranking it #16,602 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 103, ranked #30,515, down from #16,602 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to North Meols, Toxteth Park and Taplow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sefton, Weymouth and Portland and Poole.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hulm is 174 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 23.1%.

1881 census count

134

Ranked #16,602

Modern count

103

2016, ranked #30,515

Peak year

1911

174 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hulm had 134 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,602 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 103 in 2016, ranked #30,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 174 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hulm surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hulm surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hulm 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 89 #18,446
1861 historical 120 #18,255
1881 historical 134 #16,602
1891 historical 123 #20,939
1901 historical 125 #20,061
1911 historical 174 #16,311
1997 modern 113 #25,106
1998 modern 117 #25,190
1999 modern 126 #24,239
2000 modern 117 #25,324
2001 modern 114 #25,344
2002 modern 122 #24,874
2003 modern 115 #25,538
2004 modern 115 #25,740
2005 modern 113 #25,974
2006 modern 114 #26,120
2007 modern 107 #27,557
2008 modern 106 #28,016
2009 modern 111 #27,846
2010 modern 114 #28,017
2011 modern 114 #27,784
2012 modern 108 #28,849
2013 modern 105 #29,916
2014 modern 104 #30,365
2015 modern 102 #30,624
2016 modern 103 #30,515

Geography

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Where Hulms are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around North Meols, Toxteth Park, Taplow, Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken and Walton-on-the-Hill. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sefton, Weymouth and Portland and Poole. 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 North Meols Lancashire
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Taplow Buckinghamshire
4 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire
5 Walton-on-the-Hill Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sefton 011 Sefton
2 Weymouth and Portland 006 Weymouth and Portland
3 Sefton 001 Sefton
4 Poole 002 Poole
5 Sefton 009 Sefton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hulm

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hulm

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hulm, 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 Hulm surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hulm 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Hulm 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

Hulm 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

Hulm falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hulm 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 Hulm, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hulm

The surname Hulm is of Anglo-Saxon origin, tracing its roots back to the areas of modern-day England and the Netherlands. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "holm," which referred to a small island or a river meadow. This suggests that the name may have originated as a topographic name, given to someone who lived near such a landscape feature.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Hulm can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Hulmo" in the county of Yorkshire. This historical record provides valuable insight into the surname's presence in England during the Middle Ages.

In the 13th century, a notable individual bearing the name Hulm was William de Hulm, a landowner and nobleman from the county of Cheshire. Records from this period also indicate that the name was sometimes spelled as "Holme" or "Hulme."

During the 14th century, the surname Hulm appeared in various legal documents and records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire and the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire. One notable person from this time was John Hulm, who was born in 1328 and served as a prominent merchant in the city of York.

In the 16th century, the name Hulm gained further recognition with the birth of Samson Hulm (1536-1601), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Rector of Ludlow in Shropshire. Another noteworthy individual from this era was Thomas Hulm (1570-1637), a renowned physician and author who published several works on medical practices.

The 17th century witnessed the rise of Richard Hulm (1612-1689), a prominent lawyer and judge who presided over the Court of Common Pleas in England. Additionally, this period saw the birth of Elizabeth Hulm (1640-1712), a well-known Quaker preacher and author who traveled extensively, spreading her religious beliefs.

Throughout its history, the surname Hulm has been associated with various place names, such as Hulme in Greater Manchester, Hulme End in Staffordshire, and Hulme Walfield in Cheshire. These locations likely played a role in the surname's development and distribution across different regions of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hulm families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hulm 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 49 Hulms recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.16x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 49 3.16x
Warwickshire 33 10.01x
Essex 17 6.59x
Denbighshire 9 18.23x
Middlesex 6 0.46x
Surrey 6 0.94x
Pembrokeshire 4 9.63x
Cheshire 2 0.69x
Suffolk 2 1.26x
Yorkshire 2 0.15x
Buckinghamshire 1 1.27x
Kent 1 0.22x
Somerset 1 0.48x
Staffordshire 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. Bootle Cum Linacre in Lancashire leads with 16 Hulms recorded in 1881 and an index of 129.87x.

Place Total Index
Bootle Cum Linacre 16 129.87x
Coventry Holy Trinity 16 162.60x
Coventry St Michael 11 103.87x
Colchester St Martin 10 2127.66x
Bersham 9 426.54x
Liverpool 8 8.49x
Halstead 7 232.56x
North Meols 7 46.11x
Orrell 7 362.69x
Camberwell 5 5.99x
Ashton Under Lyne 4 11.80x
Pembroke St Mary 4 74.77x
Rugby 4 89.69x
Ardwick 3 21.44x
Chelsea London 3 7.62x
Birmingham 2 1.82x
Islington London 2 1.58x
Stretford 2 23.45x
Sudbury St Gregory 2 156.25x
Thornaby 2 41.32x
Adlington 1 68.97x
Altrincham 1 19.84x
Dorking 1 23.36x
Kirkdale 1 3.83x
Margate St John Baptist 1 12.24x
Paddington London 1 2.08x
Siddington 1 555.56x
Taunton St James 1 32.57x
Upton Cum Chalvey 1 31.75x
Wetton 1 666.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Sarah 5
Elizabeth 4
Alice 3
Ann 3
Anne 3
Emily 3
Emma 3
Caroline 2
Ethel 2
Florence 2
Hannah 2
Margaret 2
Martha 2
A.Martha 1
Adelaide 1
Agnes 1
Annice 1
Annie 1
Betty 1
Catherine 1
Ebor 1
Edith 1
Elisabeth 1
Elise 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Gertrude 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Harriette 1
Helen 1
Hester 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Lea 1
Lillie 1
Maud 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 8
William 7
John 6
David 3
Edward 3
Henry 3
Joseph 3
Charles 2
Frederick 2
Herbert 2
Moses 2
Thomas 2
Thophulus 2
A.Ernest 1
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Athony 1
Cornelius 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
George 1
Harry 1
Humphrey 1
Jonathan 1
Keelon 1
Percy 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Hulm surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hulm surname in 1881?

In 1881, 134 people were recorded with the Hulm surname. That placed it at #16,602 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hulm surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 103 in 2016. That gives Hulm a modern rank of #30,515.

What does the Hulm surname mean?

A surname originating from places named "Hulm", derived from the Old English words "holm" meaning a small island or "holmr" meaning a river meadow or water-meadow.

What does the Hulm map show?

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