NameCensus.

UK surname

Hurdle

An occupational surname for someone who made or repaired wooden frames used in weaving.

In the 1881 census there were 386 people recorded with the Hurdle surname, ranking it #8,165 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 327, ranked #13,868, down from #8,165 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ringwood, Crondall and Heytesbury, Tytherington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Portsmouth, Winchester and East Hampshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hurdle is 459 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 15.3%.

1881 census count

386

Ranked #8,165

Modern count

327

2016, ranked #13,868

Peak year

1911

459 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hurdle had 386 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,165 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 327 in 2016, ranked #13,868.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 459 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hurdle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hurdle surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hurdle 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 279 #8,067
1861 historical 253 #9,764
1881 historical 386 #8,165
1891 historical 382 #9,203
1901 historical 443 #8,804
1911 historical 459 #8,364
1997 modern 371 #11,645
1998 modern 384 #11,727
1999 modern 372 #12,076
2000 modern 374 #11,976
2001 modern 371 #11,881
2002 modern 374 #12,040
2003 modern 372 #11,881
2004 modern 362 #12,155
2005 modern 339 #12,668
2006 modern 336 #12,842
2007 modern 349 #12,622
2008 modern 347 #12,786
2009 modern 361 #12,663
2010 modern 362 #12,914
2011 modern 362 #12,773
2012 modern 335 #13,408
2013 modern 341 #13,425
2014 modern 341 #13,528
2015 modern 328 #13,840
2016 modern 327 #13,868

Geography

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Where Hurdles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ringwood, Crondall, Heytesbury, Tytherington, Poole St James and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Portsmouth, Winchester, East Hampshire and Arun. 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 Ringwood Hampshire
2 Crondall Hampshire
3 Heytesbury, Tytherington Wiltshire
4 Poole St James Dorset
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Portsmouth 010 Portsmouth
2 Winchester 014 Winchester
3 East Hampshire 003 East Hampshire
4 Arun 016 Arun
5 Winchester 011 Winchester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hurdle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hurdle

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Hurdle 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

Hurdle 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

Hurdle falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hurdle 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 Hurdle, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hurdle

The surname Hurdle is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "hyrdel," which means "a portable fence or gate used for enclosing livestock." This word eventually evolved into the modern English word "hurdle."

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Hurdle can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, dating back to 1273. This document mentions a person named John Hurdel. Another early reference is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1332, where a Richard Hurdel is listed.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name Hurdle was primarily concentrated in the counties of Norfolk, Sussex, and Kent in England. It is believed that the name originated as an occupational surname for someone who made or worked with hurdles, which were used extensively in farming and livestock management.

One notable individual bearing the surname Hurdle was Sir John Hurdle, a member of the English gentry who lived in the late 15th century. He was a landowner in the county of Kent and served as a justice of the peace.

In the 16th century, the name Hurdle can be found in the records of the parish of Crondall in Hampshire, where a family by the name of Hurdle resided for several generations.

Another significant figure was William Hurdle, born in 1629 in the village of Nettlebed, Oxfordshire. He was a prominent Puritan clergyman and author, known for his works on religious and theological topics.

The surname Hurdle also has connections to place names. For instance, the village of Hurdlebury in Wiltshire is believed to have derived its name from the Old English words "hyrdel" and "burg," meaning "the hurdle town."

In the 18th century, John Hurdle (1711-1784) was a notable English clockmaker and inventor from the town of Taunton in Somerset. He is credited with developing several innovations in clock mechanisms and escapements.

Among the more recent historical figures with the surname Hurdle is Charles Hurdle (1882-1959), a British trade unionist and politician who served as a Labour Party Member of Parliament for the Islington East constituency from 1945 to 1959.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hurdle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hurdle 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. Hampshire leads with 107 Hurdles recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.83x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 107 13.83x
Middlesex 80 2.12x
Surrey 68 3.70x
Dorset 35 14.13x
Wiltshire 21 6.29x
Devon 14 1.78x
Kent 13 1.01x
Somerset 13 2.14x
Lancashire 8 0.18x
Essex 6 0.81x
Hertfordshire 6 2.31x
Sussex 6 0.94x
Warwickshire 5 0.53x
Berkshire 2 0.71x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.44x
Herefordshire 1 0.65x
Royal Navy 1 2.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Crondall in Hampshire leads with 27 Hurdles recorded in 1881 and an index of 649.04x.

Place Total Index
Crondall 27 649.04x
Portsea 25 16.49x
Heytesbury 14 1147.54x
St Pancras London 13 4.28x
Lambeth 12 3.65x
Clerkenwell London 11 12.34x
Kinson 10 206.61x
Tooting Graveney 10 195.31x
Topsham 10 269.54x
Christchurch 9 53.64x
Melcombe Regis 9 87.63x
St Marylebone London 9 4.47x
Isleworth 8 47.68x
Woking 8 72.14x
Aldershot 7 27.01x
Binsted 7 237.29x
Bremhill 7 466.67x
Islington London 7 1.91x
Milton 7 364.58x
Poole St James 7 75.19x
Sutton 7 52.59x
Child Okeford 6 550.46x
East Molesey 6 140.52x
Mortlake 6 73.17x
Poplar London 6 8.42x
Ringwood 6 121.21x
St Albans St Michael 6 206.19x
St Michael Bassishaw 6 2142.86x
Twickenham 6 37.06x
Ardwick 5 12.38x
Birmingham 5 1.58x
Brighton 5 3.89x
Chalk 5 1136.36x
Clevedon 5 79.11x
West Ham 5 3.04x
All Hallows Staining 4 1666.67x
Battersea 4 2.88x
Hawley 4 273.97x
Southwark St John 4 34.63x
Farnham 3 20.98x
Paddington London 3 2.16x
Southampton St Mary 3 6.17x
Tormoham 3 9.02x
Alverstoke 2 7.14x
Bedminster 2 3.50x
Camberwell 2 0.83x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 2.81x
Farnborough 2 24.60x
Greenwich 2 3.33x
Hackney London 2 0.95x
Milton In Gravesend 2 10.36x
Nether Stowey 2 210.53x
Newington 2 1.43x
Northwood 2 18.15x
Over Stowey 2 294.12x
Sandhurst 2 36.43x
Southampton All Sts 2 15.06x
Woolwich 2 4.20x
Bramshaw 1 102.04x
Bromley London 1 1.20x
Croydon 1 0.98x
Deptford St Nicholas 1 9.78x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.01x
Exeter Heavitree 1 17.06x
Hampstead London 1 1.70x
Harwick St Nicholas 1 85.47x
Hove 1 3.58x
Iwerne Courtnay 1 59.88x
Kirkdale 1 1.33x
Parkstone 1 34.60x
Portchester 1 100.00x
Portsmouth 1 5.61x
Puttenham 1 175.44x
Royal Navy 1 2.60x
Stogursey 1 61.35x
Wandsworth 1 2.75x
Wavendon 1 78.74x
Welsh Bicknor 1 714.29x
Whitechapel London 1 2.69x
Yeovil 1 8.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 22
Elizabeth 13
Ellen 12
Sarah 11
Jane 9
Annie 8
Eliza 7
Emily 6
Alice 5
Emma 5
Florence 5
Louisa 5
Caroline 4
Kate 4
Maria 4
Ann 3
Charlotte 3
Fanny 3
Martha 3
Rosa 3
Rose 3
Ada 2
Anne 2
Catherine 2
H. 2
Harriet 2
Margaret 2
Olive 2
Sophia 2
Amy 1
Anastasia 1
Beatia 1
Blanche 1
Edith 1
Ellenore 1
Esther 1
Evelyn 1
Frances 1
Hester 1
Isabella 1
Jerisa 1
Jessie 1
Kathleen 1
Laura 1
Leddy 1
Lilly 1
Lily 1
Lucy 1
M. 1
Veronica 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 24
George 23
Charles 15
John 11
James 10
Thomas 10
Henry 9
Arthur 8
Alfred 7
Edward 7
Frederick 6
Samuel 5
Walter 5
Albert 4
Harry 4
David 3
Frank 3
Joseph 3
Robert 3
Chas. 2
Edwin 2
Jesse 2
Amos 1
Chas.Agustus 1
Chas.S. 1
Chrisopher 1
E. 1
Earnest 1
Edgar 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.C.N. 1
Gilbert 1
Herbert 1
Jas. 1
Jas.C. 1
Laurence 1
Leonard 1
Lindsay 1
N. 1
Percy 1
Richard 1
Stephen 1
W. 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Hurdle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hurdle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 386 people were recorded with the Hurdle surname. That placed it at #8,165 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hurdle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 327 in 2016. That gives Hurdle a modern rank of #13,868.

What does the Hurdle surname mean?

An occupational surname for someone who made or repaired wooden frames used in weaving.

What does the Hurdle map show?

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