NameCensus.

UK surname

Hume

From the medieval given name Hugh, which originally denoted a person of great intellect or spirit.

In the 1881 census there were 4,280 people recorded with the Hume surname, ranking it #1,048 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,432, ranked #1,234, down from #1,048 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Ettrick Yarrow and Liliesleaf Area and Braintree.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hume is 5,548 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 26.9%.

1881 census count

4,280

Ranked #1,048

Modern count

5,432

2016, ranked #1,234

Peak year

2010

5,548 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hume had 4,280 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,048 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,432 in 2016, ranked #1,234.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,017 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Hume surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hume surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hume 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 2,913 #998
1861 historical 2,722 #1,080
1881 historical 4,280 #1,048
1891 historical 4,391 #1,077
1901 historical 5,017 #1,121
1911 historical 3,227 #1,613
1997 modern 5,185 #1,258
1998 modern 5,420 #1,255
1999 modern 5,448 #1,258
2000 modern 5,508 #1,238
2001 modern 5,316 #1,253
2002 modern 5,358 #1,267
2003 modern 5,246 #1,261
2004 modern 5,287 #1,253
2005 modern 5,239 #1,246
2006 modern 5,210 #1,253
2007 modern 5,232 #1,256
2008 modern 5,264 #1,262
2009 modern 5,388 #1,260
2010 modern 5,548 #1,250
2011 modern 5,450 #1,254
2012 modern 5,260 #1,276
2013 modern 5,370 #1,267
2014 modern 5,436 #1,264
2015 modern 5,426 #1,242
2016 modern 5,432 #1,234

Geography

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Where Humes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gateshead, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Ettrick Yarrow and Liliesleaf Area and Braintree. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Govan Combination Lanark
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 006 Northumberland
2 Northumberland 003 Northumberland
3 Northumberland 008 Northumberland
4 Ettrick Yarrow and Liliesleaf Area Scottish Borders
5 Braintree 003 Braintree

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hume

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hume

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Hume 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

Hume is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hume falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hume

The surname Hume is of Scottish origin, deriving from the Old English word 'hoh', meaning a hill or ridge. It is believed to have originated in the town of Hume, located in the Scottish Borders region, which dates back to the 12th century.

The name Hume is first recorded in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a series of parchment rolls that documented the sworn allegiance of Scotland's nobles and gentry to Edward I of England following his invasion of Scotland. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Sir Thomas Hume, who was a prominent figure in the Scottish Wars of Independence against the English in the early 14th century.

In the 15th century, the Hume family rose to prominence as one of the most powerful families in the Scottish Borders region. They were known for their involvement in the frequent border skirmishes and raids between Scotland and England. One notable member of the family was Alexander Hume, who was appointed as the Lord Warden of the Scottish East Marches in 1513.

The Hume surname has also been associated with several notable historical figures. One of the most famous bearers of the name was David Hume (1711-1776), the Scottish philosopher, historian, and essayist, who is considered one of the most influential thinkers of the Scottish Enlightenment. Another prominent figure was Joseph Hume (1777-1855), a British politician and radical reformer who campaigned for various causes, including the abolition of slavery and the reform of Parliament.

Other notable individuals with the surname Hume include:

1. Tobias Hume (1569-1645), an English soldier, composer, and writer on military tactics. 2. Alexander Hume-Campbell (1812-1892), a Scottish philosopher and theologian. 3. Basil Hume (1923-1999), a Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Archbishop of Westminster from 1976 to 1999. 4. Iain Hume (born 1984), a Canadian professional soccer player. 5. David Hume (1756-1838), a Scottish philosopher and nephew of the more famous David Hume.

The surname Hume has also been associated with various place names, such as Humewood, Humehaugh, and Hume Castle, all of which are located in the Scottish Borders region. The name has been spelled in various ways throughout history, including Hume, Hom, Home, and Howme.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hume families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hume 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. Midlothian leads with 479 Humes recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.63x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 479 8.63x
Middlesex 413 1.00x
Northumberland 398 6.46x
Durham 289 2.34x
Essex 257 3.14x
Lanarkshire 217 1.62x
Lancashire 201 0.41x
Yorkshire 170 0.41x
Angus 155 4.04x
Roxburghshire 152 20.25x
Surrey 134 0.66x
Suffolk 114 2.26x
Berwickshire 108 21.52x
Selkirkshire 95 25.34x
East Lothian 84 15.30x
Fife 78 3.18x
Kirkcudbrightshire 75 12.50x
Stirlingshire 60 3.93x
Dumfriesshire 52 5.68x
Ayrshire 49 1.58x
Kent 49 0.35x
Staffordshire 47 0.34x
Perthshire 45 2.42x
Renfrewshire 43 1.34x
Sussex 43 0.62x
Warwickshire 41 0.39x
Orkney 35 7.68x
Cumberland 33 0.93x
Hampshire 33 0.39x
Peeblesshire 30 15.39x
Cheshire 25 0.27x
Northamptonshire 17 0.44x
Devon 16 0.19x
Glamorgan 16 0.22x
Inverness-shire 16 1.29x
Cambridgeshire 15 0.57x
Gloucestershire 13 0.16x
Hertfordshire 13 0.46x
Caithness 12 2.12x
West Lothian 12 1.92x
Aberdeenshire 11 0.29x
Banffshire 11 1.28x
Norfolk 11 0.17x
Nottinghamshire 10 0.18x
Kinross-shire 9 8.59x
Lincolnshire 9 0.14x
Worcestershire 8 0.15x
Somerset 7 0.10x
Dunbartonshire 6 0.54x
Shropshire 6 0.17x
Derbyshire 4 0.06x
Royal Navy 4 0.81x
Oxfordshire 3 0.12x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.08x
Flintshire 2 0.18x
Rutland 2 0.66x
Anglesey 1 0.14x
Bedfordshire 1 0.05x
Berkshire 1 0.03x
Clackmannanshire 1 0.29x
Cornwall 1 0.02x
Dorset 1 0.04x
Leicestershire 1 0.02x
Monmouthshire 1 0.03x
Wiltshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 154 Humes recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.90x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 154 6.90x
Barony 93 2.74x
Dundee 92 6.42x
South Leith 72 11.53x
Hackney London 62 2.67x
North Leith 62 24.13x
Bures St Mary 61 495.53x
Govan 60 1.81x
Galashiels 47 33.91x
Glasgow 45 1.89x
Alnwick 42 39.62x
Bishopwearmouth 39 3.69x
Islington London 37 0.92x
St Pancras London 37 1.11x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 35 6.55x
Gateshead 34 3.68x
Dysart 33 19.98x
Cramlington 30 36.82x
Hornsey 29 5.53x
Camberwell 28 1.06x
Wickham St Paul 27 537.85x
Manchester 26 1.18x
Wormingford 26 384.05x
Chelsea London 25 2.00x
Everton 25 1.60x
Westoe 25 3.58x
Lambeth 24 0.66x
Paddington London 24 1.58x
Berwick Upon Tweed 23 17.61x
Falkirk 22 6.15x
Hawick 22 13.10x
Scarborough 21 5.63x
Bowden 20 183.15x
Innerleithen 20 38.66x
Ayton 19 65.27x
Dunbar 19 24.69x
Kirriemuir 19 20.06x
Liverpool 19 0.64x
Melrose 19 29.28x
Selkirk 19 17.99x
Edinburgh Canongate 18 12.74x
Kelso 18 24.06x
Newington 18 1.18x
Ancroft 17 78.45x
Birmingham 17 0.49x
Edinburgh St Georges 17 14.76x
Halstead 17 17.82x
Little Totham 17 379.46x
St Marylebone London 17 0.77x
Tweedmouth 17 22.12x
Westray Papa Westray 17 47.01x
Whitekirk Tynninghame 17 113.26x
Cornhill 16 172.23x
Dunse 16 33.62x
Halifax 16 2.65x
Jedburgh 16 21.75x
Portsea 16 0.96x
Haddington 15 18.51x
Kensington London 15 0.65x
Liff Benvie 15 2.57x
Toxteth Park 15 0.90x
Auckinleck 14 14.58x
Bedlington 14 6.80x
Brandon Byshottles 14 9.07x
Bures St Mary 14 183.01x
Dawdon 14 9.23x
Hampstead London 14 2.17x
St Andrewthe Less 14 4.67x
Stannington 14 95.63x
Anwoth 13 125.85x
East Greenock 13 4.29x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 13 9.90x
Edinburgh New 13 30.15x
Harrow On The Hill 13 15.70x
Kirkbean 13 112.55x
Kirkcaldy 13 10.69x
Leslie 13 20.93x
Penicuik 13 17.23x
Sprouston 13 89.22x
West Derby 13 0.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 148
Jane 87
Elizabeth 83
Sarah 75
Margaret 52
Ann 44
Ellen 37
Isabella 36
Emma 35
Alice 31
Eliza 30
Maria 22
Annie 20
Emily 20
Jessie 20
Hannah 19
Louisa 19
Edith 18
Agnes 16
Catherine 16
Charlotte 15
Florence 13
Frances 13
Harriet 11
Martha 11
Eleanor 10
Caroline 9
Lucy 9
Ada 8
Amy 8
Grace 8
Kate 8
Anne 7
Barbara 7
Beatrice 6
Christina 6
Clara 6
Janet 6
Rebecca 6
Susannah 6
Elizth. 5
Fanny 5
Matilda 5
Amelia 4
Helen 4
Julia 4
Laura 4
Lydia 4
Mabel 4
Maud 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 155
John 128
James 108
George 102
Thomas 74
Robert 63
Joseph 47
Charles 40
Henry 40
David 22
Arthur 20
Walter 20
Samuel 19
Alfred 16
Frederick 15
Frank 14
Edward 13
Alexander 12
Harry 11
Andrew 10
Ernest 9
Herbert 9
Matthew 9
Richard 9
Peter 8
Albert 7
Robt. 6
Benjamin 5
Archibald 4
Edgar 4
Fred 4
Michael 4
Wm. 4
Abraham 3
Francis 3
Levi 3
Mark 3
Percy 3
Ralph 3
Stephen 3
Thos. 3
Adolphus 2
Alex. 2
Elijah 2
Frederic 2
Jno. 2
Jonathan 2
Morton 2
Oliver 2
Patrick 2

FAQ

Hume surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hume surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,280 people were recorded with the Hume surname. That placed it at #1,048 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hume surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,432 in 2016. That gives Hume a modern rank of #1,234.

What does the Hume surname mean?

From the medieval given name Hugh, which originally denoted a person of great intellect or spirit.

What does the Hume map show?

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