NameCensus.

UK surname

Hurt

An English occupational surname referring to a shepherd or someone who tended animals, from the Middle English "herde".

In the 1881 census there were 796 people recorded with the Hurt surname, ranking it #4,675 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,215, ranked #4,898, down from #4,675 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, St Pancras and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ashfield, North East Derbyshire and Mansfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hurt is 1,341 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.6%.

1881 census count

796

Ranked #4,675

Modern count

1,215

2016, ranked #4,898

Peak year

1911

1,341 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hurt had 796 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,675 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,215 in 2016, ranked #4,898.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,341 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hurt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hurt surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hurt 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 793 #3,363
1861 historical 1,232 #2,317
1881 historical 796 #4,675
1891 historical 1,281 #3,374
1901 historical 1,093 #4,417
1911 historical 1,341 #3,568
1997 modern 1,309 #4,380
1998 modern 1,310 #4,538
1999 modern 1,300 #4,600
2000 modern 1,306 #4,555
2001 modern 1,255 #4,635
2002 modern 1,269 #4,679
2003 modern 1,228 #4,715
2004 modern 1,220 #4,746
2005 modern 1,205 #4,742
2006 modern 1,174 #4,866
2007 modern 1,177 #4,895
2008 modern 1,162 #4,958
2009 modern 1,196 #4,952
2010 modern 1,232 #4,937
2011 modern 1,221 #4,906
2012 modern 1,212 #4,872
2013 modern 1,223 #4,916
2014 modern 1,216 #4,955
2015 modern 1,196 #4,986
2016 modern 1,215 #4,898

Geography

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Where Hurts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, St Pancras, London parishes, St Werburgh and Nottingham St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ashfield, North East Derbyshire and Mansfield. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Werburgh Derbyshire
5 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ashfield 008 Ashfield
2 Ashfield 013 Ashfield
3 North East Derbyshire 004 North East Derbyshire
4 Ashfield 009 Ashfield
5 Mansfield 007 Mansfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hurt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hurt

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Hurt 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

Hurt is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hurt 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 Hurt is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hurt

The surname Hurt has its origins in England, where it first appeared in the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "hyrtan," which means "to ram" or "to strike." This suggests that the name may have been originally given to someone who worked as a rammer or striker, perhaps in a profession like construction or mining.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several references to people with the surname Hurt or variations of it, such as Hurtaud and Hurtevent. This indicates that the name was present in England even before the Norman Conquest.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Hurt is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1199, where a man named Robert Hurt is mentioned. Another early example is from the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, which lists a John Hurt.

The surname Hurt may also be related to certain place names in England, such as Hurtwood in Surrey or Hurtshill in Warwickshire. It is possible that some individuals with the surname Hurt took their name from these locations or similar ones.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname Hurt. One example is Sir William Hurt (c. 1389-1449), who was a Member of Parliament and served as the Sheriff of Shropshire and Staffordshire during the reign of Henry VI.

Another prominent figure was John Hurt (1522-1592), an English theologian and Protestant reformer who played a significant role in the English Reformation under Queen Elizabeth I.

In the literary world, Walter Hurt (1776-1859) was an English poet and writer who published works such as "Amarynthus, the Nympholept" and "The Florist's Manual."

Sir Robert Hurt (1839-1909) was a British businessman and philanthropist who founded the Wills & Hepworth Brewery and served as the High Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1891.

More recently, John Vincent Hurt (1940-2017) was a renowned English actor known for his roles in films like "The Elephant Man," "Alien," and the "Harry Potter" series.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hurt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hurt 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 206 Hurts recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.78x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 206 19.78x
Yorkshire 175 2.29x
Derbyshire 103 8.52x
Middlesex 82 1.06x
Surrey 37 0.98x
Kent 27 1.02x
Hampshire 26 1.64x
Leicestershire 24 2.80x
Lancashire 18 0.20x
Staffordshire 16 0.61x
Merionethshire 11 7.78x
Lincolnshire 10 0.81x
Warwickshire 10 0.51x
Durham 7 0.30x
Sussex 7 0.54x
Devon 5 0.31x
Renfrewshire 5 0.84x
Gloucestershire 4 0.26x
Hertfordshire 3 0.56x
Lanarkshire 3 0.12x
Wiltshire 3 0.44x
Norfolk 2 0.17x
Anglesey 1 0.73x
Channel Islands 1 0.44x
Dorset 1 0.20x
Essex 1 0.07x
Monmouthshire 1 0.18x
Oxfordshire 1 0.21x
Royal Navy 1 1.09x
Somerset 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Heeley in Yorkshire leads with 62 Hurts recorded in 1881 and an index of 266.55x.

Place Total Index
Heeley 62 266.55x
Ecclesall Bierlow 35 22.48x
Nottingham St Mary 28 10.40x
St Pancras London 27 4.34x
Eakring 26 2280.70x
Sheffield 19 7.80x
Derby St Peter 16 41.53x
Hemington 13 1300.00x
Wales 13 214.88x
Basford 12 25.00x
Paddington London 12 4.22x
Radford 12 22.68x
Sutton In Ashfield 12 53.10x
St James Isle Of Grain 11 1466.67x
Sutton On Trent 11 431.37x
Burslem 10 13.39x
Pilsley 10 250.63x
Clapham 9 9.32x
Handsworth 9 44.47x
Bulwell 8 35.34x
Epperstone 8 695.65x
Sheepshed 8 68.14x
Alfreton 7 19.05x
Aston 7 1.30x
Cliffe 7 117.65x
Crondall 7 82.26x
Ealing 7 10.14x
Llanaber 7 125.22x
Ashborne 6 72.99x
Chertsey 6 24.66x
Chinley Bugsworth 6 188.68x
Claylane 6 35.69x
Eastwood 6 64.45x
Farnsfield 6 217.39x
Hallam 6 779.22x
Lambeth 6 0.89x
Manchester 6 1.46x
Nether Hallam 6 5.79x
Sandal Magna 6 53.00x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 3.86x
Stoke Newington London 6 9.97x
Blidworth Haywood 5 446.43x
Crich 5 63.37x
Doncaster 5 8.94x
Duffield 5 52.47x
Farnborough 5 30.07x
Handsworth 5 7.78x
Kensington London 5 1.16x
Lenton 5 20.38x
Lewisham 5 3.56x
Long Eaton 5 31.31x
Nottingham St Nicholas 5 35.26x
Selston 5 42.99x
St George Hanover Square 5 3.67x
St Marylebone London 5 1.21x
Stretton 5 299.40x
Sutton 5 57.34x
Bentley 4 215.05x
Bermondsey 4 1.74x
Brailsford 4 232.56x
Cathcart 4 12.35x
Darlington 4 4.51x
Dronfield 4 25.81x
Gainsborough 4 13.74x
Greasbrough 4 39.56x
Kirklington 4 689.66x
Mansfield 4 11.10x
Rawcliffe In Goole 4 91.74x
Sutton 4 408.16x
Towyn 4 44.99x
Acton 3 6.62x
Gunthorpe 3 352.94x
Kneesall 3 400.00x
Laxton 3 234.38x
Ordsall 3 37.64x
Pleasley 3 98.36x
Salford 3 1.11x
Shirland 3 33.15x
Swindon 3 5.66x
Westoe 3 2.30x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 56
Sarah 40
Elizabeth 38
Ann 22
Alice 16
Emma 14
Eliza 13
Hannah 11
Annie 10
Emily 9
Ellen 8
Maria 8
Edith 7
Harriet 7
Jane 7
Florence 6
Harriett 6
Agnes 5
Charlotte 5
Fanny 5
Margaret 5
Martha 5
Caroline 4
Elizth. 4
Frances 4
Isabella 4
Susannah 4
Ada 3
Amelia 3
Eleanor 3
Esther 3
Louisa 3
Minnie 3
Anne 2
Bertha 2
Bessie 2
Cecilia 2
Clara 2
Dorothy 2
Georgina 2
Gertrude 2
Grace 2
Marcy 2
Matilda 2
Phoebe 2
Etty 1
Fany 1
Jemima 1
Julia 1
Villetter 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 64
John 38
George 24
Thomas 24
Henry 17
James 17
Charles 16
Samuel 14
Joseph 10
Richard 10
Francis 9
Walter 9
Frederick 8
Arthur 7
Albert 6
Harry 6
Robert 6
Alfred 5
Frank 5
Herbert 4
Stephen 4
Daniel 3
Edward 3
Ernest 3
Horace 3
Jonathan 3
Abraham 2
Edmond 2
Edmund 2
Edwin 2
Fred 2
Horatio 2
Roger 2
Seth 2
Tom 2
Willm. 2
Willoughby 2
Wm. 2
Bellamy 1
David 1
Denis 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Geo.Henry 1
Harold 1
Henery 1
Josephs 1
Leonard 1
Louis 1
Michael 1

FAQ

Hurt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hurt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 796 people were recorded with the Hurt surname. That placed it at #4,675 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hurt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,215 in 2016. That gives Hurt a modern rank of #4,898.

What does the Hurt surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a shepherd or someone who tended animals, from the Middle English "herde".

What does the Hurt map show?

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