NameCensus.

UK surname

Hungerford

A locational surname referring to someone from any of the places named Hungerford in England, meaning "ford leading to poor land."

In the 1881 census there were 55 people recorded with the Hungerford surname, ranking it #25,862 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 125, ranked #26,827, down from #25,862 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caerphilly, Wealden and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hungerford is 130 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 127.3%.

1881 census count

55

Ranked #25,862

Modern count

125

2016, ranked #26,827

Peak year

2009

130 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hungerford had 55 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,862 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 125 in 2016, ranked #26,827.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 90 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Hungerford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hungerford surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hungerford 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 24 #29,038
1861 historical 29 #30,287
1881 historical 55 #25,862
1891 historical 74 #27,538
1901 historical 90 #24,021
1911 historical 78 #25,013
1997 modern 104 #26,351
1998 modern 106 #26,689
1999 modern 121 #24,855
2000 modern 121 #24,824
2001 modern 124 #24,114
2002 modern 129 #24,021
2003 modern 129 #23,783
2004 modern 129 #24,019
2005 modern 129 #23,963
2006 modern 119 #25,413
2007 modern 123 #25,208
2008 modern 126 #25,131
2009 modern 130 #25,176
2010 modern 129 #25,900
2011 modern 124 #26,367
2012 modern 113 #28,016
2013 modern 124 #26,842
2014 modern 120 #27,646
2015 modern 126 #26,654
2016 modern 125 #26,827

Geography

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Where Hungerfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Caerphilly, Wealden and Wiltshire. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caerphilly 007 Caerphilly
2 Caerphilly 011 Caerphilly
3 Caerphilly 014 Caerphilly
4 Wealden 009 Wealden
5 Wiltshire 017 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hungerford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hungerford

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Hungerford is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hungerford is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hungerford 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 Hungerford is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hungerford

The surname Hungerford has its origins in England, and it is believed to have emerged in the early medieval period. The name is derived from the town of Hungerford in Berkshire, which itself comes from the Old English words "hungra" meaning "hungry" and "ford" referring to a shallow crossing or river ford.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled as "Hungreford." This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the time of the Norman Conquest.

During the 12th century, a prominent family bearing the name Hungerford rose to prominence in the region. Sir Robert Hungerford, born around 1150, was a notable member of this family and served as a knight in the service of King John.

In the 14th century, the Hungerford family continued to gain influence and wealth. Sir Walter Hungerford, born around 1292, was a prominent military commander who fought in the Hundred Years' War and was appointed as the Steward of the Royal Household by King Edward III.

The Hungerfords were also patrons of the arts and religion. Lord Robert Hungerford, born in 1409, was a significant supporter of the Church and funded the construction of several religious buildings, including the Hungerford Chantry Chapel in Salisbury Cathedral.

Another notable figure with the surname Hungerford was Sir Edward Hungerford, born in 1532. He was a prominent Member of Parliament and held important positions at the court of Queen Elizabeth I.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, Sir Edward Hungerford, born in 1596, was a staunch Royalist and fought alongside King Charles I. He was captured and executed by the Parliamentarians in 1648.

While the Hungerford surname has its roots in the town of the same name in Berkshire, it has since spread throughout England and beyond, with individuals bearing this name making significant contributions to various fields throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hungerford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hungerford 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 24 Hungerfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.17x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 24 4.17x
Surrey 13 4.64x
Glamorgan 11 10.98x
Angus 2 3.75x
Channel Islands 2 11.73x
Derbyshire 1 1.11x
Dorset 1 2.65x
Isle of Man 1 9.35x
Kent 1 0.51x
Leicestershire 1 1.57x
Norfolk 1 1.13x
Royal Navy 1 14.58x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Merthyr Tydfil in Glamorgan leads with 11 Hungerfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 114.23x.

Place Total Index
Merthyr Tydfil 11 114.23x
St Clement Danes London 8 672.27x
Bermondsey 6 35.03x
Bromley London 5 39.49x
Lambeth 4 7.97x
Hackney London 3 9.30x
Rotherhithe 3 42.19x
Clerkenwell London 2 14.73x
Liff Benvie 2 24.72x
St George Hanover Square 2 19.72x
St Helier 2 36.04x
Chatham 1 18.52x
Chelsea London 1 5.77x
Great Bowden 1 172.41x
Kensington London 1 3.13x
Malew 1 107.53x
Royal Navy 1 17.06x
Shoreditch London 1 4.01x
St Botolph Aldgate London 1 84.03x
Stour Provost 1 1428.57x
Swaffham 1 138.89x
Wingfield South 1 416.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Elizabeth 3
Ann 2
Ellen 2
Kate 2
Alice 1
Augusta 1
Beatrice 1
Bridget 1
C.C. 1
Catherine 1
Eliza 1
Florenda 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
Jane 1
Johanna 1
Julia 1
Margaret 1
Rebecca 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 4
Edward 3
George 2
John 2
Robert 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Augustus 1
Edwin 1
Everard 1
Guy 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Jeremiah 1
Joseph 1
Patrick 1
Powlett 1
Richard 1
William 1

FAQ

Hungerford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hungerford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 55 people were recorded with the Hungerford surname. That placed it at #25,862 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hungerford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 125 in 2016. That gives Hungerford a modern rank of #26,827.

What does the Hungerford surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from any of the places named Hungerford in England, meaning "ford leading to poor land."

What does the Hungerford map show?

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