NameCensus.

UK surname

Humphris

A topographic surname of Norman origin meaning someone who lived on or near a hill or ridge.

In the 1881 census there were 724 people recorded with the Humphris surname, ranking it #5,039 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 708, ranked #7,645, down from #5,039 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sevenhampton, Charlton Kings and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cherwell, Gloucester and Cotswold.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Humphris is 1,071 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.2%.

1881 census count

724

Ranked #5,039

Modern count

708

2016, ranked #7,645

Peak year

1851

1,071 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Humphris had 724 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,039 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 708 in 2016, ranked #7,645.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,071 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Humphris surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Humphris surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Humphris 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 1,071 #2,618
1861 historical 633 #4,233
1881 historical 724 #5,039
1891 historical 651 #5,962
1901 historical 704 #6,257
1911 historical 761 #5,680
1997 modern 608 #8,068
1998 modern 693 #7,538
1999 modern 674 #7,733
2000 modern 699 #7,499
2001 modern 673 #7,587
2002 modern 680 #7,690
2003 modern 659 #7,749
2004 modern 653 #7,807
2005 modern 625 #8,018
2006 modern 649 #7,807
2007 modern 643 #7,926
2008 modern 664 #7,782
2009 modern 685 #7,771
2010 modern 726 #7,568
2011 modern 725 #7,499
2012 modern 703 #7,580
2013 modern 708 #7,662
2014 modern 712 #7,670
2015 modern 698 #7,730
2016 modern 708 #7,645

Geography

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Where Humphris' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sevenhampton, Charlton Kings, London parishes, King's Sutton, Newbottle and Banbury. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cherwell, Gloucester, Cotswold, South Northamptonshire and Maldon. 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 Sevenhampton Gloucestershire
2 Charlton Kings Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 King's Sutton, Newbottle Northamptonshire
5 Banbury Oxfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cherwell 006 Cherwell
2 Gloucester 001 Gloucester
3 Cotswold 003 Cotswold
4 South Northamptonshire 006 South Northamptonshire
5 Maldon 005 Maldon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Humphris

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Humphris

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Humphris, 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 Humphris surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Humphris household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

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, Humphris 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

Humphris is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Humphris

The surname HUMPHRIS is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the personal name Humphrey, which itself is a Germanic name composed of the elements "hun" meaning bear cub and "frid" meaning peace. The name likely emerged as a descriptive nickname referring to someone with a peaceful or gentle nature, akin to a bear cub.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the HUMPHRIS surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1190, where a person named Roger Humfridus is mentioned. This suggests that the name had already taken root in England by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the HUMPHRIS surname appeared in various manorial records across different counties in England, including Yorkshire, Oxfordshire, and Cambridgeshire. This indicates that the name had spread throughout various regions of the country by this point.

The Hundred Rolls of 1273 contain references to individuals with the surname HUMPHRIS, such as Robert Humfray in Oxfordshire and William Humfrey in Cambridgeshire. These records provide valuable insights into the early distribution of the name across different parts of medieval England.

One notable individual with the HUMPHRIS surname was Thomas Humphris (1615-1670), an English Puritan minister and member of the Westminster Assembly. He was a prominent figure in the religious and political landscape of 17th century England.

Another individual of note was Sir William Humphreys (1636-1711), a Welsh lawyer and politician who served as Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer in England. Despite the slight variation in spelling, this name is believed to share a common origin with HUMPHRIS.

In the realm of literature, George Humphris (1789-1857) was an English poet and author, known for his works such as "Poems on Various Subjects" and "The Drunkard's Progress."

The HUMPHRIS surname also has a connection to the world of art through the British painter and etcher, Sydney Humphris (1905-1984), whose works were exhibited at the Royal Academy and other prestigious galleries.

Finally, one cannot overlook the contributions of the British botanist and horticulturist, Henry Noel Humphris (1810-1879), who wrote extensively on topics related to gardening and plant cultivation, leaving a lasting impact on the field.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Humphris families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Humphris 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. Gloucestershire leads with 268 Humphris' recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.37x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 268 19.37x
Oxfordshire 182 41.79x
Middlesex 46 0.65x
Northamptonshire 43 6.48x
Surrey 34 0.99x
Warwickshire 27 1.52x
Berkshire 21 3.97x
Somerset 20 1.76x
Worcestershire 15 1.63x
Lancashire 13 0.16x
Herefordshire 12 4.15x
Hampshire 7 0.48x
Wiltshire 7 1.12x
Cheshire 6 0.39x
Monmouthshire 6 1.18x
Shropshire 3 0.49x
Essex 2 0.14x
Glamorgan 2 0.16x
Kent 2 0.08x
Radnorshire 2 3.51x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.23x
Dorset 1 0.22x
Lanarkshire 1 0.04x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.62x
Staffordshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cheltenham in Gloucestershire leads with 67 Humphris' recorded in 1881 and an index of 62.78x.

Place Total Index
Cheltenham 67 62.78x
Kings Sutton 34 1152.54x
Neithrop 33 225.41x
Winchcomb 31 451.90x
Bishops Cleeve 23 655.27x
Hailey 23 751.63x
Sevenhampton 23 1885.25x
Banbury 19 217.89x
Charlton Kings 18 188.09x
Claydon 18 2222.22x
Lower Heyford 17 1338.58x
Thame 14 176.77x
Sutton 13 52.29x
Kidlington 12 356.08x
Reading St Mary 12 28.30x
St Marylebone London 12 3.19x
Withington 12 794.70x
Chelsea London 11 5.18x
Churchdown 11 400.00x
Bourton On The Water 10 355.87x
St Giles In Fields London 10 28.90x
Eynsham 9 326.09x
Kings Norton 9 10.90x
Lambeth 9 1.46x
Warkworth 9 150.75x
Aston 7 1.43x
Aymestrey 7 448.72x
Blagdon 7 292.89x
Newton 7 10.85x
Temple Guiting 7 546.88x
Bengeworth 6 189.27x
Great Washbourne 6 2608.70x
Monks Coppenhall 6 10.21x
Newington 6 2.30x
Portsea 6 2.12x
Swindon 6 1224.49x
Blackbourton 5 980.39x
East Newchurch 5 515.46x
Leamington Priors 5 11.43x
North Cerney 5 331.13x
Reading St Giles 5 9.63x
Upper Slaughter 5 793.65x
West Monkton 5 200.00x
Bibury 4 239.52x
Birmingham 4 0.67x
Boddington 4 404.04x
Brampton Abbotts 4 784.31x
Edington 4 177.78x
Elmstone Hardwick 4 519.48x
Frome 4 14.73x
Great Barrington 4 366.97x
Hampton Gay 4 4000.00x
Islington London 4 0.59x
Leckhampton 4 46.95x
Luddington 4 1600.00x
North Aston 4 740.74x
Camberwell 3 0.67x
Charlbury 3 61.35x
Croydon 3 1.57x
Everton 3 1.12x
Huntley 3 291.26x
Newent 3 42.67x
Swindon 3 6.20x
Willesden 3 4.51x
Abbey Cwm Hir 2 170.94x
Corse 2 158.73x
Cowley 2 14.72x
Deptford St Paul 2 1.08x
E Adderbury 2 91.32x
Fritwell 2 148.15x
Hadnall 2 156.25x
Headington 2 29.59x
Holywell 2 98.04x
Limehouse London 2 2.58x
Oxford St Clement 2 18.20x
Siston 2 80.97x
Sutton Wick 2 235.29x
Swansea Lower 2 31.95x
Tewkesbury 2 16.21x
Walcot 2 3.31x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 49
John 33
George 31
Thomas 24
Henry 23
James 19
Charles 17
Joseph 12
Arthur 11
Alfred 10
Richard 10
Frederick 9
Albert 8
Frank 8
Robert 6
Edward 5
Harry 5
Edwin 4
Ernest 4
Francis 4
Willm. 4
Wm. 4
Edmund 3
Fredk. 3
Samuel 3
Walter 3
Benjamin 2
Chas. 2
Fred 2
Herbert 2
Leonard 2
Thos. 2
W. 2
Bushby 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Frederic 1
Fredrick 1
Harold 1
Henery 1
Lionel 1
Mark 1
Nathan 1
Oliver 1
Owen 1
Raymond 1
Rees 1
Reginald 1
Richd. 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Humphris surname: questions and answers

How common was the Humphris surname in 1881?

In 1881, 724 people were recorded with the Humphris surname. That placed it at #5,039 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Humphris surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 708 in 2016. That gives Humphris a modern rank of #7,645.

What does the Humphris surname mean?

A topographic surname of Norman origin meaning someone who lived on or near a hill or ridge.

What does the Humphris map show?

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