NameCensus.

UK surname

Hurles

An Anglicized form of a French surname derived from the old French word "hurler" meaning to howl or shout.

In the 1881 census there were 16 people recorded with the Hurles surname, ranking it #31,301 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 134, ranked #25,636, up from #31,301 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cowlairs and Port Dundas, Douglas, Coalburn and Rigside and Whitehill.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hurles is 134 in 2007. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 737.5%.

1881 census count

16

Ranked #31,301

Modern count

134

2016, ranked #25,636

Peak year

2007

134 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hurles had 16 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,301 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 134 in 2016, ranked #25,636.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 45 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Hurles surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hurles surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hurles 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 23 #29,205
1861 historical 35 #29,571
1881 historical 16 #31,301
1891 historical 43 #30,933
1901 historical 45 #29,156
1911 historical 22 #31,030
1997 modern 110 #25,529
1998 modern 112 #25,856
1999 modern 113 #25,913
2000 modern 110 #26,248
2001 modern 110 #25,900
2002 modern 124 #24,616
2003 modern 121 #24,776
2004 modern 127 #24,224
2005 modern 122 #24,817
2006 modern 122 #25,010
2007 modern 134 #23,931
2008 modern 132 #24,476
2009 modern 129 #25,314
2010 modern 133 #25,379
2011 modern 134 #25,050
2012 modern 126 #26,148
2013 modern 127 #26,452
2014 modern 131 #26,089
2015 modern 133 #25,729
2016 modern 134 #25,636

Geography

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Where Hurles' 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 Cowlairs and Port Dundas, Douglas, Coalburn and Rigside, Whitehill, Hyndburn and Rosyth Central. 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 Cowlairs and Port Dundas Glasgow City
2 Douglas, Coalburn and Rigside South Lanarkshire
3 Whitehill South Lanarkshire
4 Hyndburn 006 Hyndburn
5 Rosyth Central Fife

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hurles

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hurles

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Hurles is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hurles is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hurles falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hurles is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hurles

The surname HURLES originated in England during the late medieval period, derived from the Old English word "hyrlas" which referred to a person with a hump or hunchback. It is believed to have first appeared in the county of Norfolk, where many early records of the name can be found.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname HURLES can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where a landowner named Hurles is mentioned as holding estates in the village of Wymondham, Norfolk. This suggests that the name was already well-established by the late 11th century.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname HURLES began to spread across other parts of England, with various spellings such as Hurlys, Hurles, and Hurly appearing in historical documents. In 1327, a John Hurles is recorded as a merchant in the city of London, indicating the name's presence in urban centers.

The surname HURLES is also associated with several place names in England, such as Hurles Hall in Lancashire and Hurles Farm in Suffolk. These locations may have been named after early bearers of the surname or vice versa.

One notable individual with the surname HURLES was Sir William Hurles (1490-1562), a prominent English landowner and member of the gentry in Hertfordshire. He served as a Justice of the Peace and was known for his involvement in local affairs.

Another famous bearer of the name was Thomas Hurles (1612-1685), an English clergyman who served as the Dean of Rochester Cathedral and was known for his scholarly works on theology and church history.

In the 18th century, John Hurles (1725-1801) was a successful merchant and ship owner based in Bristol, England. He played a significant role in the city's maritime trade and was respected for his business acumen.

The surname HURLES also has a notable connection to the arts, with the English painter and engraver Charles Hurles (1790-1856) being recognized for his landscape paintings and etchings depicting rural scenes.

Finally, one of the more recent historical figures with the surname HURLES was Sir Robert Hurles (1865-1942), a British civil servant and diplomat who served as the Ambassador to Turkey during the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hurles families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hurles 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. Surrey leads with 4 Hurles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.26x.

County Total Index
Surrey 4 5.26x
Buckinghamshire 3 31.81x
Kent 3 5.64x
Lanarkshire 3 5.95x
Lancashire 2 1.08x
Durham 1 2.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 4 Hurles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.41x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 4 29.41x
Bothwell 3 218.98x
Deptford St Paul 3 72.99x
Wycombe 3 428.57x
Broughton In Salford 2 118.34x
Coundon Grange 1 1000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 3
Mary 2
Ann 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 2
Charles 1
Edward 1
Frederick 1
Sidney 1
William 1

FAQ

Hurles surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hurles surname in 1881?

In 1881, 16 people were recorded with the Hurles surname. That placed it at #31,301 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hurles surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 134 in 2016. That gives Hurles a modern rank of #25,636.

What does the Hurles surname mean?

An Anglicized form of a French surname derived from the old French word "hurler" meaning to howl or shout.

What does the Hurles map show?

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