NameCensus.

UK surname

Hyams

A surname of Anglo-Jewish origin, derived from the Hebrew male name "Chaim" meaning "life".

In the 1881 census there were 593 people recorded with the Hyams surname, ranking it #5,894 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 817, ranked #6,789, down from #5,894 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Botolph Aldgate, Christ Church Spitalfields and St Mary Whitechapel. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnet, East Riding of Yorkshire and Hertsmere.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hyams is 910 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.8%.

1881 census count

593

Ranked #5,894

Modern count

817

2016, ranked #6,789

Peak year

1999

910 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hyams had 593 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,894 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 817 in 2016, ranked #6,789.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 900 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Hyams surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hyams surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hyams 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 332 #7,031
1861 historical 369 #6,919
1881 historical 593 #5,894
1891 historical 740 #5,376
1901 historical 900 #5,147
1911 historical 898 #4,961
1997 modern 857 #6,203
1998 modern 903 #6,146
1999 modern 910 #6,150
2000 modern 880 #6,272
2001 modern 884 #6,157
2002 modern 893 #6,223
2003 modern 887 #6,154
2004 modern 886 #6,172
2005 modern 872 #6,175
2006 modern 854 #6,293
2007 modern 837 #6,454
2008 modern 847 #6,445
2009 modern 887 #6,335
2010 modern 890 #6,446
2011 modern 866 #6,526
2012 modern 825 #6,681
2013 modern 848 #6,650
2014 modern 844 #6,692
2015 modern 826 #6,752
2016 modern 817 #6,789

Geography

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Where Hyams' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Botolph Aldgate, Christ Church Spitalfields, St Mary Whitechapel, London parishes and St Dunstan Stepney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnet, East Riding of Yorkshire and Hertsmere. 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 St Botolph Aldgate London (Central Districts)
2 Christ Church Spitalfields London (East Districts)
3 St Mary Whitechapel London (East Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnet 014 Barnet
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 023 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 Barnet 013 Barnet
4 Hertsmere 013 Hertsmere
5 Hertsmere 005 Hertsmere

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hyams

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hyams

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Hyams surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Hyams household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Hyams is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Hyams is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hyams 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 Hyams 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Hyams

The surname Hyams has its origins in England, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is an anglicized variation of the Old French surname Hiam, which itself derived from the personal name Haimon or Hamon. These names stem from the Germanic elements "haim" meaning "home" and "mund" meaning "protection."

The earliest recorded instances of the Hyams surname appear in various medieval records from the 13th and 14th centuries. It was particularly prevalent in the counties of Devon, Somerset, and Cornwall in southwestern England. The name may have originated from place names like Ham or Hame in these regions, which were derived from the Old English word "hamm" meaning "enclosure" or "homestead."

One notable historical reference to the Hyams name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset from 1327, which mention a John Hiam. Additionally, the Plea Rolls of the Exchequer from 1384 record a Richard Hyam in Devon.

In the 16th century, the Hyams surname appeared in various spellings, including Hyam, Hiam, Hiams, and Hymes, reflecting the inconsistencies in English orthography during that time period.

Notable individuals bearing the Hyams surname throughout history include:

1. William Hyams (c. 1602-1677), an English merchant and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Horsham in 1660.

2. Samuel Hyams (1734-1808), a prominent English clockmaker and watchmaker based in London.

3. Thomas Hyams (1776-1853), an English landscape painter known for his depictions of rural scenes in Sussex.

4. Edward Hyams (1834-1912), a British journalist and author who wrote extensively about the British Empire and colonial affairs.

5. Ralph Hyams (1888-1961), an American screenwriter and film producer who worked on several notable films in the 1930s and 1940s, including "The Lady Eve" and "The Palm Beach Story."

While the Hyams surname is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and can be traced back to its Old French and Germanic linguistic roots.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hyams families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hyams 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. Middlesex leads with 416 Hyams' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.15x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 416 7.15x
Lancashire 59 0.86x
Surrey 29 1.02x
Warwickshire 26 1.77x
Staffordshire 15 0.76x
Hampshire 8 0.67x
Essex 7 0.61x
Yorkshire 6 0.10x
Channel Islands 5 2.90x
Durham 5 0.29x
Kent 5 0.25x
Cheshire 3 0.23x
Hertfordshire 3 0.75x
Somerset 3 0.32x
Lanarkshire 2 0.11x
Bedfordshire 1 0.33x
Cumberland 1 0.20x
Leicestershire 1 0.16x
Northumberland 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mile End Old Town London in Middlesex leads with 69 Hyams' recorded in 1881 and an index of 55.76x.

Place Total Index
Mile End Old Town London 69 55.76x
Spitalfields London 66 150.93x
Whitechapel London 53 92.48x
Mile End New Town London 30 261.10x
St George In East London 29 53.04x
Liverpool 27 6.44x
Bethnal Green London 24 9.50x
St James Dukes Place 18 1451.61x
Islington London 17 3.02x
Southwark St George Martyr 15 12.82x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 14 170.11x
Birmingham 13 2.66x
Edgbaston 13 28.60x
St Botolph Aldgate London 13 108.60x
Lambeth 11 2.17x
Shoreditch London 10 3.97x
St George Hanover Square 10 9.76x
St Giles In Fields London 10 35.06x
St Katherine Creechurch 10 1000.00x
Castle Church 9 76.27x
Chorlton On Medlock 8 7.30x
Hackney London 8 2.45x
Bromley London 7 5.47x
West Derby 7 3.47x
Broughton In Salford 6 9.51x
Portsmouth 6 21.87x
Gateshead 5 3.86x
Kensington London 5 1.55x
Linthorpe 5 14.54x
St Peter Port 5 15.69x
Westminster St James 5 8.37x
Leyton 4 20.23x
Loose 4 137.46x
Manchester 4 1.29x
St Martin In Fields 4 11.49x
Bushey 3 31.45x
Cheetham 3 5.83x
Salford 3 1.48x
St Clement Danes London 3 24.94x
St George Bloomsbury 3 8.99x
St Katherine Coleman 3 545.45x
Glasgow 2 0.60x
Monks Coppenhall 2 4.13x
Newington 2 0.93x
Portsea 2 0.86x
St Marylebone London 2 0.64x
Walcot 2 4.01x
Walsall Foreign 2 1.97x
Wolverhampton 2 1.33x
Adlington 1 15.48x
Aveley 1 51.81x
Bedford St Paul 1 4.84x
Elswick 1 1.45x
Holy Trinity St Mary 1 11.40x
Leicester St Margaret 1 0.64x
Runcorn 1 3.38x
Sedgley 1 1.37x
Southwark St Saviour 1 3.35x
St Gilesin Fields London 1 20.33x
St Lawrence 1 7.33x
St Luke London 1 1.07x
St Pancras London 1 0.21x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 0.48x
Walthamstow 1 2.42x
West Ham 1 0.39x
Whitehaven 1 3.75x
Winsham 1 58.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Henry 18
Joseph 16
Abraham 11
David 11
Isaac 9
Solomon 8
William 8
Emanuel 7
Jacob 7
James 7
John 7
Samuel 7
Thomas 7
George 6
Harry 6
Moses 6
Charles 5
Hyman 5
Mark 5
Alexander 4
Daniel 4
Godfrey 4
Hyam 4
Michael 4
Philip 4
Reuben 4
Albert 3
Arthur 3
Barnet 3
Barnett 3
Benjamin 3
Morris 3
Phillip 3
Saml. 3
Edward 2
Isaacs 2
Israel 2
Judah 2
Lewis 2
Nathan 2
Sol. 2
Walter 2
Cornelias 1
Emmanuel 1
Eustace 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Goodman 1
H. 1
Jas. 1

FAQ

Hyams surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hyams surname in 1881?

In 1881, 593 people were recorded with the Hyams surname. That placed it at #5,894 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hyams surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 817 in 2016. That gives Hyams a modern rank of #6,789.

What does the Hyams surname mean?

A surname of Anglo-Jewish origin, derived from the Hebrew male name "Chaim" meaning "life".

What does the Hyams map show?

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