NameCensus.

UK surname

Humm

A surname derived from the humming sound, possibly referring to an occupation or location.

In the 1881 census there were 392 people recorded with the Humm surname, ranking it #8,080 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 598, ranked #8,735, down from #8,080 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a and St Matthew Bethnal Green. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tendring, Colchester and Tower Hamlets.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Humm is 713 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.6%.

1881 census count

392

Ranked #8,080

Modern count

598

2016, ranked #8,735

Peak year

1911

713 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Humm had 392 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,080 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 598 in 2016, ranked #8,735.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 713 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Humm surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Humm surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Humm 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 334 #7,001
1861 historical 183 #12,903
1881 historical 392 #8,080
1891 historical 451 #8,062
1901 historical 615 #6,942
1911 historical 713 #5,983
1997 modern 671 #7,487
1998 modern 701 #7,468
1999 modern 700 #7,513
2000 modern 673 #7,724
2001 modern 654 #7,763
2002 modern 651 #7,933
2003 modern 636 #7,954
2004 modern 623 #8,109
2005 modern 583 #8,442
2006 modern 587 #8,420
2007 modern 582 #8,555
2008 modern 582 #8,612
2009 modern 602 #8,580
2010 modern 598 #8,802
2011 modern 606 #8,623
2012 modern 592 #8,696
2013 modern 619 #8,526
2014 modern 614 #8,643
2015 modern 611 #8,619
2016 modern 598 #8,735

Geography

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Where Humms are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a, St Matthew Bethnal Green and Great and Little Henny, Twinsted. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tendring, Colchester and Tower Hamlets. 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 Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a Essex
4 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)
5 Great and Little Henny, Twinsted Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tendring 011 Tendring
2 Colchester 016 Colchester
3 Colchester 002 Colchester
4 Colchester 022 Colchester
5 Tower Hamlets 003 Tower Hamlets

Forenames

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First names often paired with Humm

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Humm

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Humm, 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 Humm surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Humm 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

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Humm is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Humm is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Humm falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Humm

The surname HUMM is believed to have originated in Germany, with its roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "hummen," which means "to hum" or "to buzz." This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname, given to beekeepers or those involved in the production of honey.

The earliest recorded instances of the HUMM surname can be found in various German records and manuscripts dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable example is the mention of a "Johannes Humme" in the "Stadtbuch von Nürnberg" (City Book of Nuremberg) from 1349.

In the 15th century, the name appears in various forms, such as "Hume," "Humme," and "Hummeln," reflecting regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. Some of these variations may have been influenced by place names or geographical locations associated with the surname.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the HUMM surname was Hans Humm, a merchant and burgher of the city of Lübeck in the late 15th century. Another notable figure was Johann Humm, a Protestant theologian and author who lived in the 16th century and wrote extensively on religious topics.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the HUMM surname spread to other parts of Europe, including the Netherlands and England. In the latter, the name was often anglicized as "Hume" or "Hum." One prominent individual from this period was David Hume, the Scottish philosopher, historian, and essayist, who lived from 1711 to 1776.

Another notable HUMM was August Friedrich Humm, a German composer and organist born in 1786. He is known for his contributions to church music and his work as a music teacher in Berlin.

As the centuries progressed, the HUMM surname continued to be found across various regions of Germany, as well as in other parts of Europe and beyond, carried by families and individuals who migrated or sought new opportunities.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Humm families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Humm 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. Essex leads with 180 Humms recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.09x.

County Total Index
Essex 180 24.09x
Middlesex 95 2.51x
Surrey 28 1.52x
Cambridgeshire 21 8.76x
Suffolk 16 3.47x
Kent 12 0.93x
Hampshire 8 1.03x
Lancashire 8 0.18x
Durham 6 0.53x
Oxfordshire 5 2.14x
Sussex 5 0.78x
Leicestershire 3 0.71x
Bedfordshire 1 0.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 37 Humms recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.50x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 37 22.50x
West Ham 26 15.76x
Colchester St Giles 14 189.70x
Bulmer 13 1444.44x
Colchester St Leonard 12 500.00x
Islington London 12 3.27x
Middleton 11 5238.10x
Ardleigh 10 483.09x
Mile End Old Town London 10 12.41x
St George In East London 10 28.09x
Great Henny 9 2307.69x
Newington 9 6.44x
Layer De La Hay 8 898.88x
Portsea 8 5.26x
Chesterton 7 94.72x
Goldhanger 7 1076.92x
Lambeth 7 2.12x
Bermondsey 6 5.33x
Broom 6 645.16x
Colchester St James 6 198.02x
Walthamstow 6 22.31x
Writtle 6 196.72x
Boxted 5 467.29x
Brighton 5 3.88x
Faversham 5 40.62x
Lewisham 5 7.26x
Mundon 5 1190.48x
Oxford St Ebbe 5 72.67x
Pendleton In Salford 5 9.35x
St Andrewthe Great 5 161.29x
St Andrewthe Less 5 18.25x
St Pancras London 5 1.64x
Tendring 5 454.55x
Bury St Edmunds St James 4 32.49x
Colchester St Botolph 4 62.99x
Leyton Low 4 26.33x
Mile End New Town London 4 53.48x
Shoreditch London 4 2.44x
Whitechapel London 4 10.72x
Woodham Mortimer 4 930.23x
Boxford 3 352.94x
Colchester St Martin 3 218.98x
Colchester St Mary 3 434.78x
Great Bentley 3 252.10x
Great Wakering 3 179.64x
Leicester St Margaret 3 2.93x
Paddington London 3 2.16x
St Clement Cambridge 3 303.03x
St Luke London 3 4.94x
Stretford 3 12.14x
Berechurch 2 1333.33x
Camberwell 2 0.83x
East Ham 2 14.43x
Fornham All Sts 2 363.64x
Glemsford 2 61.73x
Inworth 2 240.96x
Lexden 2 66.67x
Newmarket St Mary 2 56.50x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 2.63x
Barking 1 4.57x
Brightlingsea 1 23.42x
Canterbury St Augustine 1 212.77x
Clapham 1 2.11x
Colchester St Peter 1 33.44x
East Bergholt 1 64.94x
Hartest 1 125.00x
Harwich St Nicholas 1 17.33x
Hildersham 1 312.50x
Hythe St Leonard 1 21.93x
Kensington London 1 0.48x
Luton 1 2.95x
Nayland 1 85.47x
South Shoebury 1 33.33x
Southwark St John 1 8.64x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.50x
Westminster St James 1 2.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 19
Mary 14
Elizabeth 12
Eliza 9
Emma 9
Ellen 8
Alice 7
Jane 6
Emily 5
Fanny 5
Lydia 5
Ann 4
Caroline 4
Maria 4
Amelia 3
Clara 3
Florence 3
Hannah 3
Selina 3
Susannah 3
Annie 2
C. 2
Charlotte 2
Grace 2
H. 2
Harriet 2
Maud 2
Rachel 2
Rebecca 2
Rosina 2
Susan 2
Agnus 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Ethel 1
Flora 1
Frances 1
Georgeinner 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
Katherine 1
Lilly 1
Louisa 1
Louise 1
Lucy 1
M. 1
Margett 1
Marie 1
Martha 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 21
George 18
John 16
William 16
James 14
Joseph 10
Thomas 9
Alfred 8
Robert 8
Charles 7
Frederick 7
Samuel 7
Edward 6
Albert 5
Abraham 3
Arthur 3
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Cornelius 2
Robt. 2
Ambres 1
Archerbald 1
Augustus 1
Berty 1
C.M. 1
Chas. 1
D. 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edwin 1
Frances 1
Geo.Wm. 1
Horace 1
I. 1
Isiah 1
Josiah 1
Leonard 1
Percival 1
R.S. 1
Robt.E. 1
W. 1
Walter 1
Wilfred 1
Wiliam 1
Willie 1
Willm.A. 1

FAQ

Humm surname: questions and answers

How common was the Humm surname in 1881?

In 1881, 392 people were recorded with the Humm surname. That placed it at #8,080 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Humm surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 598 in 2016. That gives Humm a modern rank of #8,735.

What does the Humm surname mean?

A surname derived from the humming sound, possibly referring to an occupation or location.

What does the Humm map show?

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