NameCensus.

UK surname

Husband

An occupational surname referring to a farmer or one who works the land, derived from Middle English "husbandman."

In the 1881 census there were 1,736 people recorded with the Husband surname, ranking it #2,487 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,005, ranked #3,216, down from #2,487 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hambleton, Cardiff and Pembrokeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Husband is 2,156 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.5%.

1881 census count

1,736

Ranked #2,487

Modern count

2,005

2016, ranked #3,216

Peak year

1901

2,156 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Husband had 1,736 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,487 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,005 in 2016, ranked #3,216.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,156 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Husband surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Husband surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Husband 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 1,199 #2,373
1861 historical 1,254 #2,273
1881 historical 1,736 #2,487
1891 historical 1,635 #2,737
1901 historical 2,156 #2,494
1911 historical 1,787 #2,740
1997 modern 1,996 #3,057
1998 modern 2,036 #3,114
1999 modern 2,077 #3,090
2000 modern 2,050 #3,107
2001 modern 2,010 #3,100
2002 modern 2,054 #3,109
2003 modern 1,959 #3,172
2004 modern 1,975 #3,152
2005 modern 1,959 #3,144
2006 modern 1,965 #3,143
2007 modern 1,991 #3,137
2008 modern 2,025 #3,114
2009 modern 2,060 #3,135
2010 modern 2,089 #3,160
2011 modern 2,032 #3,197
2012 modern 1,999 #3,198
2013 modern 2,018 #3,218
2014 modern 2,044 #3,207
2015 modern 2,030 #3,193
2016 modern 2,005 #3,216

Geography

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Where Husbands are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Lambeth and St Austell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hambleton, Cardiff, Pembrokeshire, Sunderland and Cornwall. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 St Austell Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hambleton 002 Hambleton
2 Cardiff 001 Cardiff
3 Pembrokeshire 008 Pembrokeshire
4 Sunderland 033 Sunderland
5 Cornwall 031 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Husband

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Husband

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Husband 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

Husband 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

Husband falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Husband

The surname Husband is an English occupational name derived from the Middle English word "husbonde," which ultimately comes from the Old Norse "husbondi," meaning the master or head of the household. This name first appeared in England around the 11th century.

The earliest recorded instance of the Husband surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled as "Husbonde." This suggests that the name was already in use in England before the Norman Conquest.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Husband was most prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk. These areas had a strong Norse influence, which likely contributed to the adoption and spread of the name.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Husband surname was William Husband, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1190. Another notable figure was Robert Husband, a merchant from York who lived in the 14th century.

In the 16th century, the Husband surname was also found in Scotland, where it was sometimes spelled "Husbanc" or "Husbande." One of the earliest recorded Scottish bearers was John Husbande, who was a burgess of Aberdeen in 1534.

During the 17th century, members of the Husband family were among the early settlers in the American colonies. For example, John Husband, born in 1624, was one of the founders of Somerset County, Maryland.

Other notable individuals with the Husband surname throughout history include:

1. Edward Husband (1590-1670), an English clergyman and author. 2. Herman Husband (1724-1795), an American Quaker leader and activist during the American Revolution. 3. Joseph Husband (1822-1909), an English painter and engraver. 4. William Husband (1823-1887), a Scottish-American theologian and educator. 5. Thomas Husband (1841-1919), an English cricketer who played for Nottinghamshire.

While the Husband surname has its roots in England and Scotland, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and the influence of the British Empire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Husband families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Husband 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. Yorkshire leads with 350 Husbands recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.07x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 350 2.07x
Cornwall 168 8.71x
Devon 119 3.36x
Middlesex 118 0.69x
Fife 116 11.51x
Durham 108 2.13x
Surrey 89 1.07x
Lancashire 66 0.33x
Angus 59 3.74x
Midlothian 59 2.59x
Nottinghamshire 51 2.22x
Glamorgan 38 1.28x
Lanarkshire 35 0.64x
Worcestershire 33 1.48x
Kent 32 0.55x
Warwickshire 31 0.72x
Renfrewshire 30 2.27x
Ayrshire 23 1.80x
Derbyshire 21 0.79x
Hampshire 21 0.60x
Staffordshire 20 0.35x
Shropshire 17 1.16x
Northumberland 13 0.51x
Channel Islands 10 1.98x
Gloucestershire 10 0.30x
Lincolnshire 10 0.37x
Pembrokeshire 10 1.85x
Perthshire 10 1.31x
Sussex 8 0.28x
Denbighshire 6 0.93x
Buckinghamshire 5 0.49x
Leicestershire 5 0.26x
Northamptonshire 5 0.31x
Wigtownshire 5 2.21x
Carmarthenshire 4 0.56x
Cheshire 4 0.11x
Herefordshire 4 0.57x
Rutland 4 3.20x
Buteshire 3 2.91x
East Lothian 3 1.33x
Hertfordshire 3 0.26x
Somerset 3 0.11x
Cumberland 2 0.14x
Essex 2 0.06x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.59x
Bedfordshire 1 0.11x
Flintshire 1 0.22x
Kinross-shire 1 2.32x
Monmouthshire 1 0.08x
Oxfordshire 1 0.10x
Radnorshire 1 0.73x
Royal Navy 1 0.49x
Selkirkshire 1 0.65x
Suffolk 1 0.05x
Westmorland 1 0.27x
Wiltshire 1 0.07x

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 38 Husbands recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.56x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 38 2.56x
Dundee 31 5.26x
Mevagissey 28 218.58x
Abbey 26 12.91x
Battersea 26 4.15x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 24 2.61x
Hackney London 24 2.51x
Skelton In Guisbrough 24 52.56x
St Austell 24 36.41x
Stoke Damerel 24 9.67x
Leeds 22 2.31x
Liskeard 21 65.10x
Yealmpton 21 386.03x
Danby 20 293.26x
Govan 20 1.47x
Camberwell 19 1.75x
Kensington London 19 2.01x
Liff Benvie 19 7.93x
Lofthouse 19 75.40x
Bromsgrove 15 20.04x
Plymouth Charles The 15 9.60x
Plymouth St Andrew 15 5.49x
Scarborough 15 9.78x
Habergham Eaves 14 7.58x
Hawsker Cum Stainsacre 14 249.55x
Islington London 14 0.85x
Kinghorn 14 65.42x
Ordsall 14 79.64x
Bideford 13 34.23x
Birmingham 13 0.91x
Easington In Guisbrough 13 346.67x
Markinch 13 37.98x
Wednesfield 13 15.36x
Ystradyfodwg 13 5.00x
Cupar 12 27.37x
Guisbrough 12 32.54x
Hunwick Helmington 12 98.60x
Lancaster 12 9.98x
Richmond 12 45.51x
St Cleer 12 71.77x
Abbotshall 11 29.20x
Abdie 11 191.64x
Chelsea London 11 2.14x
Hampstead London 11 4.15x
Holy Trinity 11 2.71x
Radford 11 9.43x
Stockton On Tees 11 4.50x
Tywardreath 11 88.85x
Dunfermline 10 6.45x
Edinburgh St Marys 10 22.54x
Goathland 10 333.33x
Hutton Rudby 10 198.41x
Lasswade 10 19.17x
Lisvane 10 869.57x
St Ive 10 80.84x
St Ives 10 26.50x
Stranton 10 5.86x
Bridlington 9 23.29x
East Stonehouse 9 12.89x
Houghton Le Spring 9 25.69x
Kirkleatham 9 39.49x
Liverton 9 230.77x
Llansamlet Higher 9 40.67x
Nottingham St Mary 9 1.52x
Sculcoates 9 3.36x
St Helier 9 5.48x
Basford 8 7.56x
Bishops Castle In 8 93.24x
Brighton 8 1.38x
Dairsie 8 195.60x
Edgbaston 8 6.01x
Ferry Port On Craig 8 48.22x
Minster In Sheppey 8 8.31x
South Molton 8 41.07x
St Ewe 8 136.99x
St George Hanover Square 8 2.67x
Tibshelf 8 61.16x
Truro St Mary 8 49.38x
Westminster St Margaret 8 9.74x
Wolviston 8 226.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 100
Elizabeth 56
Jane 44
Sarah 44
Ann 25
Emily 25
Margaret 20
Annie 19
Ellen 19
Hannah 19
Eliza 17
Emma 16
Alice 14
Harriet 11
Catherine 10
Maria 10
Anne 8
Edith 8
Florence 8
Amelia 7
Martha 7
Isabella 6
Susan 6
Ada 5
Caroline 5
Elizth. 5
Fanny 5
Lydia 5
Rebecca 5
Agnes 4
Beatrice 4
Charlotte 4
Clara 4
Frances 4
Kate 4
Louisa 4
Lucy 4
Mabel 4
Amy 3
Bessie 3
Dorothy 3
Eleanor 3
Georgina 3
Harriett 3
Rose 3
Cecilia 2
Esther 2
Julia 2
Lilian 2
Margret 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 106
William 99
Thomas 58
George 48
Robert 41
James 38
Henry 28
Joseph 26
Edward 17
Charles 16
Richard 16
Arthur 14
Samuel 12
Alfred 9
Peter 9
Frederick 7
Herbert 7
Walter 7
Andrew 6
Harry 5
Albert 4
Christopher 4
Edwin 4
Francis 4
Frank 4
Matthew 4
David 3
J. 3
Jacob 3
Philip 3
Phillip 3
Wardle 3
Wm. 3
Edgar 2
Ernest 2
Fred. 2
Harold 2
J.W. 2
Nicholas 2
Percy 2
Reuben 2
Thos. 2
Carny 1
Chas.C. 1
Enoch 1
Esaw 1
Evan 1
Fasham 1
Griffith 1
Woodman 1

FAQ

Husband surname: questions and answers

How common was the Husband surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,736 people were recorded with the Husband surname. That placed it at #2,487 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Husband surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,005 in 2016. That gives Husband a modern rank of #3,216.

What does the Husband surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a farmer or one who works the land, derived from Middle English "husbandman."

What does the Husband map show?

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