NameCensus.

UK surname

Hursey

An English toponymic surname referring to someone from a place called Hurse or Hurst.

In the 1881 census there were 69 people recorded with the Hursey surname, ranking it #23,816 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 227, ranked #17,992, up from #23,816 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Acton, London parishes and Kingston-on-Thames. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Colchester, Basingstoke and Deane and Torbay.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hursey is 274 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 229.0%.

1881 census count

69

Ranked #23,816

Modern count

227

2016, ranked #17,992

Peak year

2002

274 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hursey had 69 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,816 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 227 in 2016, ranked #17,992.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 193 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Hursey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hursey surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hursey 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 32 #27,570
1861 historical 91 #22,206
1881 historical 69 #23,816
1891 historical 183 #15,918
1901 historical 141 #18,718
1911 historical 193 #15,294
1997 modern 256 #15,034
1998 modern 265 #15,087
1999 modern 267 #15,097
2000 modern 273 #14,828
2001 modern 267 #14,839
2002 modern 274 #14,849
2003 modern 255 #15,416
2004 modern 254 #15,540
2005 modern 248 #15,721
2006 modern 243 #16,052
2007 modern 246 #16,086
2008 modern 245 #16,295
2009 modern 244 #16,706
2010 modern 252 #16,701
2011 modern 245 #16,874
2012 modern 232 #17,401
2013 modern 228 #17,864
2014 modern 226 #18,088
2015 modern 228 #17,899
2016 modern 227 #17,992

Geography

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Where Hurseys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Acton, London parishes, Kingston-on-Thames and Worplesdon , Ash. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Colchester, Basingstoke and Deane, Torbay, Central Bedfordshire and Shepway. 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 Acton Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 London parishes London 1
3 Kingston-on-Thames Surrey
4 London parishes London 3
5 Worplesdon , Ash Surrey

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Colchester 010 Colchester
2 Basingstoke and Deane 007 Basingstoke and Deane
3 Torbay 017 Torbay
4 Central Bedfordshire 021 Central Bedfordshire
5 Shepway 012 Shepway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hursey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hursey

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Hursey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Hursey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Hursey is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Hursey is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hursey falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hursey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hursey

The surname Hursey has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "hors" and "ey," meaning "horse" and "island" respectively. This suggests that the name may have originated from a location or settlement associated with horses or horse breeding.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk from the year 1188, where it appears as "Horseye." This indicates that the name was present in the county of Norfolk during the late 12th century.

Throughout the medieval period, various spellings of the name emerged, such as "Horsey," "Horsaye," and "Horsie." These variations reflect the fluid nature of English spelling during that time and the regional differences in pronunciation.

In the 16th century, records show the name appearing in the form "Hursey" in several county histories and parish registers across England. It is believed that this spelling became more prevalent as a result of regional dialects and the gradual evolution of the English language.

One notable individual bearing the Hursey surname was Robert Hursey, a yeoman farmer who lived in the village of Weston Favell, Northamptonshire, in the late 16th century. His will, dated 1591, provides valuable insights into the life and times of the Hursey family during the Elizabethan era.

Another prominent figure was Sir John Hursey, a military commander who served under King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War. He was knighted for his bravery in the Battle of Crécy in 1346 and later participated in the siege of Calais.

In the 17th century, the Hursey name can be found in various records across England, including the Parish Registers of Oxfordshire, where a William Hursey was recorded as being married in 1632.

During the 18th century, a notable Hursey was Thomas Hursey, born in 1712 in Lincolnshire. He was a renowned clockmaker and is credited with the creation of several intricate timepieces that are now housed in various museums and private collections.

In the 19th century, one of the most prominent individuals with the Hursey surname was Reverend Henry Hursey, born in 1802 in Devon. He was a respected clergyman and author, known for his sermons and writings on theological subjects.

It is worth noting that while the Hursey surname has been present throughout various regions of England for centuries, its origins can be traced back to the island or coastal areas associated with horses, as suggested by its linguistic roots.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hursey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hursey 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 36 Hurseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.98x.

County Total Index
Surrey 36 10.98x
Middlesex 17 2.53x
Somerset 5 4.61x
Kent 4 1.74x
Sussex 4 3.52x
Berkshire 2 3.96x
Midlothian 1 1.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Caterham in Surrey leads with 7 Hurseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 482.76x.

Place Total Index
Caterham 7 482.76x
Acton 6 151.90x
Battersea 6 24.22x
Chilcompton 5 3333.33x
Frimley 5 537.63x
Kingston On Thames 5 63.45x
Beddington 4 314.96x
Enfield 3 67.87x
St Pancras London 3 5.54x
Epsom 2 125.00x
Lambeth 2 3.41x
Reading St Mary 2 49.38x
Stoke 2 129.03x
Balcombe 1 500.00x
Chatham 1 15.82x
Dover St Mary Virgin 1 45.05x
Feltham 1 149.25x
Fulham London 1 10.25x
Gillingham 1 21.14x
Lancing 1 322.58x
Poplar London 1 7.87x
Sandwich St Clement 1 526.32x
Seaford 1 256.41x
South Leith 1 9.85x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 7.39x
Southwark St John 1 48.54x
Southwick 1 166.67x
Stoke Newington London 1 19.08x
Teddington London 1 65.36x
Woking 1 50.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emma 5
Eliza 4
Ellen 3
Clara 2
Martha 2
Mary 2
Anne 1
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Hart. 1
Hester 1
Letty 1
Lilly 1
Louisa 1
Lousa 1
Lousia 1
Margaret 1
Sussanah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Hursey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hursey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 69 people were recorded with the Hursey surname. That placed it at #23,816 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hursey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 227 in 2016. That gives Hursey a modern rank of #17,992.

What does the Hursey surname mean?

An English toponymic surname referring to someone from a place called Hurse or Hurst.

What does the Hursey map show?

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