NameCensus.

UK surname

Polhill

A locational surname derived from a place name in Kent, England.

In the 1881 census there were 153 people recorded with the Polhill surname, ranking it #15,320 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 303, ranked #14,637, up from #15,320 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ewhurst, Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chelmsford, Torridge and Liverpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Polhill is 322 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 98.0%.

1881 census count

153

Ranked #15,320

Modern count

303

2016, ranked #14,637

Peak year

1998

322 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Polhill had 153 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,320 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 303 in 2016, ranked #14,637.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 302 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Polhill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Polhill surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Polhill 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 154 #12,668
1861 historical 127 #17,469
1881 historical 153 #15,320
1891 historical 206 #14,597
1901 historical 235 #13,662
1911 historical 302 #11,394
1997 modern 313 #13,158
1998 modern 322 #13,248
1999 modern 312 #13,615
2000 modern 308 #13,685
2001 modern 306 #13,565
2002 modern 322 #13,354
2003 modern 301 #13,785
2004 modern 284 #14,377
2005 modern 278 #14,511
2006 modern 280 #14,535
2007 modern 287 #14,464
2008 modern 282 #14,748
2009 modern 288 #14,838
2010 modern 293 #14,974
2011 modern 288 #15,009
2012 modern 298 #14,565
2013 modern 310 #14,403
2014 modern 314 #14,371
2015 modern 309 #14,430
2016 modern 303 #14,637

Geography

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Where Polhills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ewhurst, Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, London parishes, Dover St James, Dover St Mary and Hawkinge, Folkestone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chelmsford, Torridge, Liverpool, Chichester and Manchester. 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 Ewhurst Sussex
2 Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew Sussex
3 London parishes London 3
4 Dover St James, Dover St Mary Kent
5 Hawkinge, Folkestone Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chelmsford 003 Chelmsford
2 Torridge 009 Torridge
3 Liverpool 019 Liverpool
4 Chichester 013 Chichester
5 Manchester 020 Manchester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Polhill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Polhill

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Polhill 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

Polhill 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

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

Meaning and origin of Polhill

The surname POLHILL is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to derive from a place name, specifically a topographic feature referring to a hill or elevated ground. The earliest recorded spelling of the name is "de Pollehull," found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1208.

One of the earliest references to the POLHILL name can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which were ancient records documenting landowners and their holdings. The POLHILL family was documented as possessing lands in Kent and Surrey during this time.

In the 14th century, the POLHILL name appeared in various historical records, such as the Court Rolls of the County of Kent in 1327. This suggests that the family had established a presence in the region and held a respectable position within the local community.

The POLHILL name can also be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror. While the exact spelling may have varied, there are references to individuals and places that could be associated with the POLHILL lineage.

Notable individuals bearing the POLHILL surname include Sir Thomas Polhill (1617-1683), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Kent. He was a staunch Royalist during the English Civil War and played a significant role in the Restoration of the monarchy.

Another prominent figure was John Polhill (1594-1665), an English clergyman and theologian known for his work "A Treatise of the Divine Will." He was a respected scholar and author of his time.

In the 18th century, Edward Polhill (1718-1797) was a notable English banker and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Bury St Edmunds. He was involved in various financial and commercial ventures during his lifetime.

The POLHILL name can also be found in records from the 19th century, such as the births, marriages, and deaths registers. One notable individual from this period was Edward Polhill-Turner (1834-1912), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy and became a Rear Admiral.

Throughout history, the POLHILL surname has been associated with various spellings, including Polhill, Polehill, Poolhyll, and Pollhill, reflecting the evolution of language and regional variations in pronunciation and recordkeeping.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Polhill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Polhill 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. Sussex leads with 58 Polhills recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.05x.

County Total Index
Sussex 58 23.05x
Kent 33 6.48x
Lancashire 13 0.73x
Northamptonshire 11 7.84x
Essex 10 3.39x
Surrey 10 1.38x
Middlesex 5 0.34x
Norfolk 4 1.74x
Hampshire 3 0.98x
Pembrokeshire 2 4.22x
Bedfordshire 1 1.29x
Gloucestershire 1 0.34x
Hertfordshire 1 0.97x
Wiltshire 1 0.76x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Toxteth Park in Lancashire leads with 13 Polhills recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.68x.

Place Total Index
Toxteth Park 13 21.68x
Peterborough 11 108.27x
Winchelsea St Thomas 9 2903.23x
Dover St Mary Virgin 8 162.27x
Ewhurst 8 1428.57x
Hastings St Mary 7 111.82x
Udimore 7 3181.82x
Bermondsey 6 13.50x
Brighton 6 11.82x
Folkestone 6 60.73x
Hailsham 6 394.74x
Little Mongeham 6 6666.67x
East Ham 5 91.41x
Hastings St Leonards 5 135.14x
West Ham 5 7.69x
Great Yarmouth 4 21.04x
Hastings St Mary In The 4 74.49x
Sundridge 4 470.59x
Croydon 3 7.43x
Ashurst 2 1818.18x
Hove 2 18.12x
Hubberston 2 285.71x
Islington London 2 1.38x
Northiam 2 322.58x
Portsmouth 2 28.41x
St Giles Cripplegate 2 101.01x
Tonbridge 2 10.89x
Aldershot 1 9.76x
Blunham 1 192.31x
Bradford On Avon 1 23.70x
Buckland In Dover 1 59.17x
Dover St James 1 44.84x
Eastbourne 1 8.64x
Hertford St John 1 65.36x
Lydd 1 91.74x
Norton Folgate London 1 204.08x
Old Romney 1 1250.00x
Pevensey 1 526.32x
Ramsgate 1 12.03x
Southwark St Saviour 1 13.04x
Stapleton 1 18.02x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Elizabeth 5
Jane 5
Sarah 5
Ann 4
Annie 4
Eliza 4
Alice 3
Emma 3
Harriett 3
Kate 3
Ada 2
Charlotte 2
Emily 2
Esther 2
Marthleon 2
Phebe 2
Anne 1
Annette 1
Beatrice 1
Caroline 1
Dinah 1
Druscilla 1
Ellen 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Georgeana 1
Hannah 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Pheobe 1
Rebecca 1
Rosie 1
Ruth 1
Saria 1
Silvestria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 7
George 6
Edward 5
Frederick 5
James 4
John 4
William 4
Charles 3
Edmund 3
Henry 3
Geo. 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Samuel 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Caleb 1
Chas. 1
Edwin 1
F.H. 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Joseph 1
Lewes 1
Louis 1
Mary 1
Parker 1
Richard 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1
Wm.B. 1
Wm.S. 1

FAQ

Polhill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Polhill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 153 people were recorded with the Polhill surname. That placed it at #15,320 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Polhill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 303 in 2016. That gives Polhill a modern rank of #14,637.

What does the Polhill surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name in Kent, England.

What does the Polhill map show?

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