NameCensus.

UK surname

Humbles

An English surname derived from the word "humble", possibly denoting a modest or unassuming person.

In the 1881 census there were 78 people recorded with the Humbles surname, ranking it #22,500 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 128, ranked #26,401, down from #22,500 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Edmonton, Willesden and Hendon. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Norfolk, York and Welwyn Hatfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Humbles is 153 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 64.1%.

1881 census count

78

Ranked #22,500

Modern count

128

2016, ranked #26,401

Peak year

1998

153 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Humbles had 78 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,500 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 128 in 2016, ranked #26,401.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 146 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Humbles surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Humbles surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Humbles 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 77 #19,998
1861 historical 75 #24,238
1881 historical 78 #22,500
1891 historical 134 #19,777
1901 historical 139 #18,876
1911 historical 146 #18,179
1997 modern 145 #21,571
1998 modern 153 #21,387
1999 modern 151 #21,740
2000 modern 149 #21,874
2001 modern 142 #22,234
2002 modern 148 #22,087
2003 modern 136 #23,045
2004 modern 133 #23,528
2005 modern 129 #23,963
2006 modern 131 #23,942
2007 modern 132 #24,166
2008 modern 135 #24,123
2009 modern 137 #24,371
2010 modern 135 #25,127
2011 modern 130 #25,547
2012 modern 131 #25,439
2013 modern 133 #25,655
2014 modern 136 #25,452
2015 modern 129 #26,226
2016 modern 128 #26,401

Geography

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Where Humbles' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Edmonton, Willesden, Hendon, Great Budworth (Witton with Twambrook), Davenham (Leftwich) and St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Norfolk, York, Welwyn Hatfield and Hastings. 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 Edmonton Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
3 Hendon Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
4 Great Budworth (Witton with Twambrook), Davenham (Leftwich) Cheshire
5 St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Norfolk 003 North Norfolk
2 York 022 York
3 Welwyn Hatfield 007 Welwyn Hatfield
4 Hastings 007 Hastings
5 Hastings 004 Hastings

Forenames

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First names often paired with Humbles

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Humbles

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Humbles surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Humbles household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Humbles 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

Humbles is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Humbles falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Humbles is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Humbles

The surname Humbles is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "humol," which means "humble." It is believed to have initially emerged as a descriptive nickname for someone perceived as humble or modest in their demeanor or behavior.

This surname traces its roots back to the Anglo-Saxon period in England, around the 5th to 11th centuries. It was particularly prevalent in the southern and central regions of England, where the Old English language was more widely spoken.

One of the earliest recorded references to the Humbles surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named Humol, which is likely an early variant spelling of the surname.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms, including Humbles, Humbel, and Humbelle, reflecting the phonetic variations common during that period. One notable individual from this era was John Humbles, a landowner in Oxfordshire, who was mentioned in county records from 1275.

During the 14th century, the surname gained further prominence, with several individuals bearing the name appearing in historical documents. One such example is Robert Humbles, a merchant from London, who was recorded in city records from 1348.

In the 16th century, the surname Humbles was associated with a notable family from Leicestershire. Sir John Humbles (1495-1571) was a prominent lawyer and member of the English Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another individual of note was William Humbles (1625-1692), a Puritan minister and author from Warwickshire, who played a significant role in the religious debates of his time.

In the 18th century, the Humbles surname gained global recognition through the exploits of Captain James Humbles (1735-1805), a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and later became a respected explorer and navigator.

As the surname spread across England and beyond, various spelling variations emerged, including Humble, Humbel, and Humbelle. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remained rooted in the Old English concept of humility and modesty.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Humbles families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Humbles 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. Bedfordshire leads with 27 Humbles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 68.55x.

County Total Index
Bedfordshire 27 68.55x
Hertfordshire 22 41.95x
Middlesex 13 1.71x
Yorkshire 8 1.06x
Buckinghamshire 3 6.52x
Cheshire 3 1.79x
Hampshire 1 0.64x
Perthshire 1 2.93x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire leads with 27 Humbles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1597.63x.

Place Total Index
Leighton Buzzard 27 1597.63x
St Albans St Stephen 20 4347.83x
Chelsea London 7 30.54x
York St Mary 4 128.21x
Castle Northwich 3 535.71x
Chipping Barnet 2 1000.00x
Holy Trinity 2 11.03x
Linslade 2 444.44x
Middlesbrough 2 20.37x
Aldenham 1 208.33x
Bletchley 1 769.23x
Edgware 1 476.19x
Errol 1 158.73x
Friern Barnet 1 59.52x
Paddington London 1 3.58x
Portsea 1 3.27x
St Albans St Michael 1 169.49x
St Pancras London 1 1.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 6
Mary 5
Ann 4
Annie 4
Elizabeth 3
Jane 3
Louisa 3
Eliza 2
Emma 2
Lucy 2
Clara 1
Emily 1
Lizzie 1
Ruth 1
Selina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 6
John 5
George 4
Thomas 4
James 3
Charles 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Infant 1
Jas. 1
Jesse 1
Joseph 1
Robert 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Humbles surname: questions and answers

How common was the Humbles surname in 1881?

In 1881, 78 people were recorded with the Humbles surname. That placed it at #22,500 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Humbles surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 128 in 2016. That gives Humbles a modern rank of #26,401.

What does the Humbles surname mean?

An English surname derived from the word "humble", possibly denoting a modest or unassuming person.

What does the Humbles map show?

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