NameCensus.

UK surname

Humpherson

In the 1881 census there were 209 people recorded with the Humpherson surname, ranking it #12,475 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 188, ranked #20,417, down from #12,475 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Ribbesford (Bewdley), Abberley, Rock and Tamworth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Birmingham, County Durham and South Staffordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Humpherson is 269 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 10.0%.

1881 census count

209

Ranked #12,475

Modern count

188

2016, ranked #20,417

Peak year

1911

269 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Humpherson had 209 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,475 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 188 in 2016, ranked #20,417.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 269 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Humpherson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Humpherson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Humpherson 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 61 #22,412
1861 historical 124 #17,797
1881 historical 209 #12,475
1891 historical 209 #14,459
1901 historical 221 #14,212
1911 historical 269 #12,300
1997 modern 224 #16,392
1998 modern 231 #16,555
1999 modern 234 #16,506
2000 modern 229 #16,695
2001 modern 227 #16,573
2002 modern 237 #16,413
2003 modern 235 #16,291
2004 modern 232 #16,539
2005 modern 222 #16,983
2006 modern 215 #17,441
2007 modern 210 #17,904
2008 modern 206 #18,300
2009 modern 202 #18,896
2010 modern 208 #18,956
2011 modern 192 #19,797
2012 modern 192 #19,730
2013 modern 198 #19,657
2014 modern 189 #20,441
2015 modern 188 #20,417
2016 modern 188 #20,417

Geography

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Where Humphersons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Ribbesford (Bewdley), Abberley, Rock, Tamworth, Middleton and Sutton Coldfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Birmingham, County Durham, South Staffordshire, Wolverhampton and Lichfield. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Ribbesford (Bewdley), Abberley, Rock Worcestershire
3 Tamworth Staffordshire
4 Middleton Staffordshire
5 Sutton Coldfield Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Birmingham 005 Birmingham
2 County Durham 023 County Durham
3 South Staffordshire 013 South Staffordshire
4 Wolverhampton 001 Wolverhampton
5 Lichfield 008 Lichfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Humpherson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Humpherson

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Humpherson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Humpherson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Humpherson 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.

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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

Humpherson is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Humpherson 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 Humpherson 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 Humpherson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Humpherson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Humpherson 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. Warwickshire leads with 63 Humphersons recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.25x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 63 12.25x
Shropshire 35 19.87x
Worcestershire 32 12.02x
Yorkshire 24 1.19x
Staffordshire 12 1.74x
Middlesex 11 0.54x
Cornwall 7 3.03x
Surrey 7 0.70x
Devon 5 1.18x
Lancashire 4 0.17x
Kent 3 0.43x
Lanarkshire 3 0.46x
Monmouthshire 2 1.36x
Cardiganshire 1 2.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lilleshall in Shropshire leads with 35 Humphersons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1301.12x.

Place Total Index
Lilleshall 35 1301.12x
Ribbesford 32 1441.44x
Aston 23 16.25x
Wilnecote 13 884.35x
York St Nicholas In 12 1052.63x
Birmingham 11 6.42x
Middleton 10 3125.00x
Sheffield 8 12.44x
Wolverhampton 8 15.12x
Antony 7 313.90x
Bow London 6 23.12x
Sutton Coldfield 6 111.11x
Wandsworth 6 30.58x
Chelsea London 5 8.14x
Dartmouth Townstall 4 231.21x
Drayton Bassett 3 967.74x
Glasgow 3 2.56x
Holy Trinity 2 4.12x
St Woollos 2 12.16x
Aberystwith 1 23.36x
Blackburn 1 1.55x
Broughton In Salford 1 4.52x
Camberwell 1 0.77x
Dover St James 1 32.79x
Farnborough 1 99.01x
Hougham 1 24.15x
Liverpool 1 0.68x
Stoke Damerel 1 3.37x
Turton 1 25.25x
Uttoxeter 1 28.41x
York St Mary 1 11.95x
York St Maurice 1 26.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Elizabeth 11
Alice 5
Emily 5
Jane 5
Amelia 4
Annie 4
Sarah 4
Kate 3
Amy 2
Ann 2
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Florence 2
Isabel 2
Louisa 2
Maria 2
Matilda 2
Rose 2
Adaline 1
Alma 1
Caroline 1
Edith 1
Elizebth 1
Emeline 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
F.J. 1
F.L. 1
Hannah 1
Henrietta 1
Isabell 1
Jean 1
Julia 1
Lillian 1
Louise 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Marina 1
Minnie 1
Olive 1
Rossana 1
Selina 1
Susey 1
Zillah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Humpherson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Humpherson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 209 people were recorded with the Humpherson surname. That placed it at #12,475 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Humpherson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 188 in 2016. That gives Humpherson a modern rank of #20,417.

What does the Humpherson map show?

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