UK surname
A medieval surname derived from the Old English term "hunte", meaning a hunter or someone who hunted.
In the 1881 census there were 18 people recorded with the Hunnings surname, ranking it #31,019 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 60, ranked #34,340, down from #31,019 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Deddington, Sedgley and Hadleigh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hunnings is 105 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 233.3%.
1881 census count
18
Ranked #31,019
Modern count
60
2016, ranked #34,340
Peak year
1891
105 bearers
Map years
1
1891 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Hunnings surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Hunnings surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 4 | #32,658 |
| 1861 | historical | 74 | #24,370 |
| 1881 | historical | 18 | #31,019 |
| 1891 | historical | 105 | #23,241 |
| 1901 | historical | 53 | #28,271 |
| 1911 | historical | 70 | #25,853 |
| 1997 | modern | 64 | #31,233 |
| 1998 | modern | 66 | #31,387 |
| 1999 | modern | 67 | #31,409 |
| 2000 | modern | 65 | #31,641 |
| 2001 | modern | 62 | #31,798 |
| 2002 | modern | 62 | #32,214 |
| 2003 | modern | 59 | #32,530 |
| 2004 | modern | 66 | #32,079 |
| 2005 | modern | 62 | #32,708 |
| 2006 | modern | 59 | #33,330 |
| 2007 | modern | 53 | #34,115 |
| 2008 | modern | 58 | #33,918 |
| 2009 | modern | 58 | #34,144 |
| 2010 | modern | 62 | #34,069 |
| 2011 | modern | 58 | #34,330 |
| 2012 | modern | 65 | #33,964 |
| 2013 | modern | 62 | #34,260 |
| 2014 | modern | 62 | #34,281 |
| 2015 | modern | 63 | #34,178 |
| 2016 | modern | 60 | #34,340 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Deddington, Sedgley, Hadleigh, Enfield and Tottenham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deddington | Oxfordshire |
| 2 | Sedgley | Staffordshire |
| 3 | Hadleigh | Suffolk |
| 4 | Enfield | Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts) |
| 5 | Tottenham | Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Hunnings surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hunnings, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Hunnings surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Hunnings household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Hunnings is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hunnings is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Hunnings, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Hunnings is of English origin, traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "huning," meaning a person from the town or village of Huningham, located in Norfolk, England. The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk in 1273, where it is listed as "Robert de Huningham."
In the Domesday Book of 1086, a village called "Huningham" is mentioned, which lends credence to the theory that the surname Hunnings originated from this place name. The name Hunnings was also found in other historical records, such as the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1310, where it appears as "Thomas de Hunynges."
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Hunnings was John Hunnings, born in 1534 in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, England. He was a prominent merchant and landowner during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another notable figure was Thomas Hunnings (1588-1651), a Puritan minister who emigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1635 and served as a pastor in Saugus, Massachusetts.
In the 17th century, the surname Hunnings was also found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England. The name appeared in various spellings, such as "Hunnyngs," "Hunninge," and "Hunninges."
A famous bearer of the surname was Sir William Hunnings (1636-1698), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Ipswich. He was knighted in 1660 by King Charles II for his loyalty to the Crown during the English Civil War.
Another notable individual was Robert Hunnings (1730-1794), a renowned English architect who designed several buildings in London, including St. Bride's Church on Fleet Street and the Royal College of Surgeons.
The surname Hunnings has also been carried by individuals from different walks of life throughout history, including authors, artists, and scholars. For instance, Frederick Hunnings (1810-1888) was a British painter known for his landscape and coastal scenes, while John Hunnings (1865-1942) was a respected historian and author who wrote extensively on the history of Norfolk.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hunnings surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 15 Hunnings' recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.54x.
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tottenham in Middlesex leads with 6 Hunnings' recorded in 1881 and an index of 214.29x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Tottenham | 6 | 214.29x |
| St Martin In Fields | 5 | 476.19x |
| Edmonton | 3 | 212.77x |
| Rothwell | 3 | 857.14x |
| Islington London | 1 | 5.88x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Hunnings surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
FAQ
In 1881, 18 people were recorded with the Hunnings surname. That placed it at #31,019 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 60 in 2016. That gives Hunnings a modern rank of #34,340.
A medieval surname derived from the Old English term "hunte", meaning a hunter or someone who hunted.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Hunnings bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.