NameCensus.

UK surname

Hurn

Of English origin, referring to someone who lived near a heron colony or heronry.

In the 1881 census there were 780 people recorded with the Hurn surname, ranking it #4,753 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,058, ranked #5,515, down from #4,753 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Mynyddyslwyn, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Trowbridge. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Caerphilly and Rochdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hurn is 1,159 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.6%.

1881 census count

780

Ranked #4,753

Modern count

1,058

2016, ranked #5,515

Peak year

2002

1,159 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hurn had 780 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,753 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,058 in 2016, ranked #5,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,015 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hurn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hurn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hurn 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 403 #6,004
1861 historical 464 #5,600
1881 historical 780 #4,753
1891 historical 705 #5,565
1901 historical 850 #5,362
1911 historical 1,015 #4,487
1997 modern 1,106 #5,042
1998 modern 1,153 #5,041
1999 modern 1,140 #5,143
2000 modern 1,132 #5,150
2001 modern 1,121 #5,086
2002 modern 1,159 #5,062
2003 modern 1,142 #5,025
2004 modern 1,122 #5,097
2005 modern 1,107 #5,103
2006 modern 1,084 #5,198
2007 modern 1,062 #5,336
2008 modern 1,073 #5,318
2009 modern 1,108 #5,296
2010 modern 1,111 #5,393
2011 modern 1,099 #5,376
2012 modern 1,042 #5,540
2013 modern 1,049 #5,610
2014 modern 1,071 #5,537
2015 modern 1,064 #5,514
2016 modern 1,058 #5,515

Geography

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Where Hurns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Mynyddyslwyn, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Trowbridge, Thorpe Market 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 King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Caerphilly and Rochdale. 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 Mynyddyslwyn Monmouthshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Trowbridge Wiltshire
4 Thorpe Market Norfolk
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 008 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
2 Caerphilly 019 Caerphilly
3 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 002 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
4 Caerphilly 017 Caerphilly
5 Rochdale 010 Rochdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hurn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hurn

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hurn, 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 Hurn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hurn 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Hurn is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hurn 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

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

Meaning and origin of Hurn

The surname Hurn is of Anglo-Saxon origin, tracing its roots back to the county of Dorset in southern England. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, derived from the Old English words "hurn" or "hyrne," which refer to a nook, corner, or secluded area. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with someone who resided in a remote or tucked-away location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Horne" in reference to a settlement in Dorset. This historical document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, provides valuable insights into the distribution of surnames and place names during the Norman conquest of England.

As time passed, variations in spelling emerged, including Hurne, Hurn, and Hurne. These variants likely arose due to regional dialects, and the lack of standardized spelling conventions in earlier centuries. It is worth noting that the name Hurn is also closely related to the place name "Hurn" in Dorset, which further reinforces its locational origins.

Among the notable individuals who have borne the surname Hurn throughout history is William Hurn (1568-1637), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Archdeacon of Richmond. Another figure was John Hurn (1721-1789), a renowned English engraver and printmaker known for his intricate landscapes and architectural works.

In the realm of literature, the name Hurn gained recognition through the works of Thomas Hardy, the celebrated English novelist and poet. Hardy's novel "The Return of the Native" features a character named Diggory Venn, who is referred to as "the reddleman of Hurn" – a reference to the hamlet of Hurn in Dorset.

Furthermore, the Hurn surname has been associated with notable families and estates throughout history. For instance, the Hurn family of Hurn Court in Hurn, Dorset, held significant landholdings and influence in the region during the 16th and 17th centuries.

While the name Hurn may not be among the most widespread surnames globally, its rich history and locational roots in the English county of Dorset have contributed to its enduring presence over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hurn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hurn 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. Norfolk leads with 226 Hurns recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.44x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 226 19.44x
Gloucestershire 100 6.74x
Middlesex 79 1.04x
Wiltshire 47 7.03x
Surrey 44 1.19x
Monmouthshire 41 7.50x
Glamorgan 22 1.67x
Lincolnshire 21 1.74x
Yorkshire 19 0.25x
Kent 16 0.62x
Somerset 16 1.31x
Berkshire 15 2.64x
Cambridgeshire 15 3.13x
Essex 14 0.94x
Sussex 14 1.10x
Hertfordshire 13 2.49x
Staffordshire 13 0.51x
Warwickshire 11 0.58x
Hampshire 10 0.65x
Lancashire 9 0.10x
Northamptonshire 7 0.98x
Suffolk 6 0.65x
Denbighshire 5 1.75x
Cheshire 4 0.24x
Durham 4 0.18x
Devon 1 0.06x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.42x
Royal Navy 1 1.11x
Worcestershire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Thorpe Market in Norfolk leads with 42 Hurns recorded in 1881 and an index of 7924.53x.

Place Total Index
Thorpe Market 42 7924.53x
Syderstone 32 2388.06x
Clifton 23 30.68x
Trowbridge 17 57.53x
Camberwell 14 2.90x
Risca 13 126.21x
Hackney London 12 2.83x
Mynyddyslwyn 12 55.66x
Aston 11 2.10x
Edingthorpe 11 2244.90x
Wymondham 11 92.51x
Moulton 10 171.82x
St Albans 10 93.63x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 9 6.45x
Mile End Old Town London 9 5.59x
Norwich St Paul 9 129.31x
St George Hanover Square 9 6.76x
Swansea Town 9 8.34x
Abergavenny 8 39.08x
Bristol St James St Paul 8 16.18x
Elsworth 8 459.77x
Feering 8 406.09x
Gresham 8 808.08x
Thornbury 8 78.90x
Alveston 7 333.33x
Brightwell 7 437.50x
Diss 7 70.28x
Horton In Bradford 7 5.98x
Lambeth 7 1.06x
Melksham 7 60.29x
Newington 7 2.51x
Norwich St James 7 76.75x
Paston 7 1076.92x
Peterborough 7 13.60x
Portishead 7 77.43x
Rowde 7 227.27x
Stamford St Mary 7 286.89x
Subdeanery 7 72.39x
Tidenham 7 305.68x
Walsall Foreign 7 5.31x
Whitcombe Magna 7 1707.32x
Ystradyfodwg 7 6.06x
Hellesdon 6 281.69x
Islington London 6 0.82x
Sherston Magna 6 148.88x
Southwark St Saviour 6 15.44x
Thorney 6 112.78x
Tottenham 6 4.98x
Westbury On Severn East 6 17.90x
Bedminster 5 4.37x
Bradford On Avon 5 23.36x
Bristol St Augustine 5 20.89x
Chatham 5 7.05x
Horsley 5 76.10x
Kingswinford 5 5.40x
Lowestoft 5 11.49x
Norwich St John 5 480.77x
Norwich St Peter 5 65.53x
Penmaen 5 1612.90x
Rogerstone 5 148.37x
Shoreditch London 5 1.53x
Southrepps 5 222.22x
St Botolph Aldgate London 5 32.11x
Swardeston 5 568.18x
Twickenham 5 15.43x
Cheadle 4 12.55x
Cley Next Sea 4 213.90x
Harpley 4 363.64x
Headingley Cum Burley 4 8.30x
Heaton Norris 4 7.83x
Maidstone 4 5.21x
Norwich St Michael At 4 59.35x
Portsea 4 1.32x
Ruabon 4 10.19x
Stranton 4 5.28x
West Ham 4 1.21x
Weybourne 4 655.74x
Whitwell 4 363.64x
Bristol St George 3 4.38x
Hove 3 5.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 41
John 38
George 33
James 26
Thomas 22
Henry 20
Robert 20
Charles 16
Arthur 9
Edward 9
Albert 7
Joseph 7
Samuel 7
Alfred 6
Frederick 6
Walter 6
Ernest 4
Frank 4
Herbert 4
David 3
Ephriam 3
Isaac 3
Benjamin 2
Cornelius 2
Daniel 2
Denmark 2
Fred 2
Fredk. 2
Henery 2
Jas. 2
Mark 2
Martin 2
Matthew 2
Moses 2
Perry 2
Philip 2
Stephen 2
Thos. 2
Amos 1
Andrew 1
Casper 1
Chas. 1
Elijah 1
Everet 1
Geo. 1
Geo.E. 1
Leonard 1
Lewis 1
Louis 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Hurn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hurn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 780 people were recorded with the Hurn surname. That placed it at #4,753 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hurn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,058 in 2016. That gives Hurn a modern rank of #5,515.

What does the Hurn surname mean?

Of English origin, referring to someone who lived near a heron colony or heronry.

What does the Hurn map show?

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