NameCensus.

UK surname

Hummel

A German occupational surname referring to a person who collects bees or produces honey.

In the 1881 census there were 50 people recorded with the Hummel surname, ranking it #26,587 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 172, ranked #21,648, up from #26,587 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Sawley and Sandiacre, Dale Abbey. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Plymouth, Erewash and Lancaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hummel is 177 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 244.0%.

1881 census count

50

Ranked #26,587

Modern count

172

2016, ranked #21,648

Peak year

2013

177 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hummel had 50 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,587 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 172 in 2016, ranked #21,648.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 145 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Hummel surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hummel surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hummel 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 16 #30,441
1861 historical 21 #31,242
1881 historical 50 #26,587
1891 historical 79 #26,897
1901 historical 124 #20,163
1911 historical 145 #18,255
1997 modern 146 #21,494
1998 modern 156 #21,144
1999 modern 151 #21,740
2000 modern 150 #21,781
2001 modern 150 #21,482
2002 modern 152 #21,723
2003 modern 151 #21,574
2004 modern 154 #21,432
2005 modern 152 #21,572
2006 modern 158 #21,229
2007 modern 152 #22,022
2008 modern 146 #22,822
2009 modern 156 #22,351
2010 modern 160 #22,487
2011 modern 160 #22,282
2012 modern 166 #21,683
2013 modern 177 #21,170
2014 modern 166 #22,277
2015 modern 168 #21,971
2016 modern 172 #21,648

Geography

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Where Hummels are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Sawley, Sandiacre, Dale Abbey and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Plymouth, Erewash, Lancaster, Camden and Greenwich. 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 Sawley Derbyshire
3 Sandiacre, Dale Abbey Derbyshire
4 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Plymouth 031 Plymouth
2 Erewash 010 Erewash
3 Lancaster 006 Lancaster
4 Camden 001 Camden
5 Greenwich 016 Greenwich

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hummel

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hummel

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

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Hummel 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

Hummel 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

Hummel 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 Hummel 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Hummel

The surname Hummel is of German origin, deriving from the Middle High German word "hummel" meaning "bumblebee". It likely originated as a nickname for someone who was thought to resemble a bumblebee in some way, perhaps due to their industrious nature or rotund figure.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century in various regions of present-day Germany. One of the earliest known bearers was Heinrich Hummel, a burgher from Nuremberg who was mentioned in records from 1285.

During the medieval period, the name appears in numerous historical documents and records across German-speaking territories. For instance, a Conradus Hummel is listed in the 1395 tax records of the town of Esslingen am Neckar in Swabia.

By the 16th century, the Hummel surname had spread to other parts of Europe, including Austria and Switzerland. Notable bearers from this time include the Austrian composer Johann Nepomuk Hummel (1778-1837), who was born in Pressburg (now Bratislava, Slovakia) and achieved fame as a virtuoso pianist and composer.

In the 17th century, the name was also found among German immigrants to North America. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Johann Adam Hummel, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1737 from the Palatinate region of Germany.

Other prominent individuals with the Hummel surname include the German artist Berta Hummel (1909-1946), known for her iconic figurines depicting children, and the American baseball player Rick Hummel (1942-2021), who played for the New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals.

The name Hummel has also been associated with various place names throughout Germany, such as Hummelsheim, a town in Rhineland-Palatinate, and Hummelsbach, a river in Baden-Württemberg, further highlighting its German roots and geographic distribution.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hummel families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hummel 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. Middlesex leads with 16 Hummels recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.28x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 16 3.28x
Glamorgan 6 7.07x
Surrey 6 2.53x
Nottinghamshire 5 7.61x
Aberdeenshire 4 8.86x
Derbyshire 4 5.24x
Hampshire 3 3.00x
Durham 1 0.69x
Lanarkshire 1 0.63x
Lincolnshire 1 1.28x
Shropshire 1 2.37x
Warwickshire 1 0.81x
Yorkshire 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Westminster St James in Middlesex leads with 5 Hummels recorded in 1881 and an index of 99.80x.

Place Total Index
Westminster St James 5 99.80x
Aberdeen Old Machar 4 42.42x
Derby St Peter 4 164.61x
Newcastle Lower 4 2222.22x
Nottingham St Nicholas 4 444.44x
Chelsea London 3 20.42x
Kensington London 3 11.07x
Penge 2 64.31x
Putney 2 90.09x
Shanklin 2 666.67x
St Pancras London 2 5.10x
Streatham 2 55.25x
Acton 1 34.97x
Aston 1 2.95x
Barwick In Elmet 1 270.27x
Cardiff St John 1 36.10x
Govan 1 2.56x
Islington London 1 2.12x
Llanguick 1 65.79x
Mile End Old Town London 1 9.63x
Nottingham St Mary 1 5.88x
Portsea 1 5.10x
Shrewsbury St Chad 1 67.57x
St Mark Lincoln 1 588.24x
Westoe 1 12.17x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 3
John 3
Edward 2
Joseph 2
Augustin 1
Charles 1
David 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
Gebkerd 1
Hy.Mortimer 1
James 1
Philip 1
Silvester 1
William 1

FAQ

Hummel surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hummel surname in 1881?

In 1881, 50 people were recorded with the Hummel surname. That placed it at #26,587 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hummel surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 172 in 2016. That gives Hummel a modern rank of #21,648.

What does the Hummel surname mean?

A German occupational surname referring to a person who collects bees or produces honey.

What does the Hummel map show?

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