NameCensus.

UK surname

Underhill

Derived from a place name referring to someone who lived at the foot of a hill.

In the 1881 census there were 2,080 people recorded with the Underhill surname, ranking it #2,125 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,200, ranked #2,124, up from #2,125 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wychavon, Bridgend and Exeter.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Underhill is 3,300 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 53.8%.

1881 census count

2,080

Ranked #2,125

Modern count

3,200

2016, ranked #2,124

Peak year

2000

3,300 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Underhill had 2,080 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,125 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,200 in 2016, ranked #2,124.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,046 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Underhill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Underhill surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Underhill 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 1,362 #2,110
1861 historical 1,481 #1,910
1881 historical 2,080 #2,125
1891 historical 2,279 #2,050
1901 historical 2,642 #2,090
1911 historical 3,046 #1,715
1997 modern 3,131 #2,048
1998 modern 3,268 #2,053
1999 modern 3,295 #2,056
2000 modern 3,300 #2,039
2001 modern 3,233 #2,039
2002 modern 3,266 #2,062
2003 modern 3,210 #2,045
2004 modern 3,225 #2,040
2005 modern 3,158 #2,050
2006 modern 3,122 #2,076
2007 modern 3,145 #2,082
2008 modern 3,143 #2,099
2009 modern 3,219 #2,105
2010 modern 3,282 #2,112
2011 modern 3,249 #2,110
2012 modern 3,159 #2,126
2013 modern 3,250 #2,110
2014 modern 3,270 #2,110
2015 modern 3,222 #2,123
2016 modern 3,200 #2,124

Geography

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Where Underhills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wychavon, Bridgend and Exeter. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) Staffordshire
4 London parishes London 2
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wychavon 013 Wychavon
2 Bridgend 008 Bridgend
3 Exeter 013 Exeter
4 Bridgend 017 Bridgend
5 Bridgend 004 Bridgend

Forenames

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First names often paired with Underhill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Underhill

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Underhill 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

Underhill is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Underhill falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Underhill

The surname Underhill originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period. It is a locational name that refers to someone who lived near or under a hill. The name is derived from the Old English words "under" and "hyll," which literally translate to "under the hill."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Underhill can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Underhille." This document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, was a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England.

During the medieval period, the surname Underhill was particularly prevalent in the counties of Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk in eastern England. This region had many settlements with names containing the word "hill," reflecting the area's topography.

In the 13th century, the name appeared as "Underhull" in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire. This was a record of landowners and tenants in the county during the reign of King Edward I.

One notable figure with the surname Underhill was John Underhill, a Puritan military officer born in 1597. He played a significant role in the Pequot War of 1636-1637 in New England and later served as the governor of the Saybrook Colony.

Another prominent individual was Edward Underhill, a Baptist minister born in 1638. He was arrested and imprisoned several times for his religious beliefs and is remembered for his contributions to the early Baptist movement in England.

In the 18th century, Samuel Underhill (1715-1768) was a renowned English engraver and painter, known for his exquisite portrait miniatures and historical paintings.

The Underhill family also had a presence in the American colonies. Captain John Underhill (1608-1672) was a prominent military leader who fought in the Pequot War and the English Civil War before settling in New York.

George Gaskell Underhill (1796-1829) was a British naval officer and explorer who participated in several expeditions to the Arctic regions, including the ill-fated voyage of HMS Fury in 1825.

Overall, the surname Underhill has a rich history spanning several centuries and can be traced back to its Anglo-Saxon origins in England. It has been associated with various notable individuals throughout history, from military leaders and religious figures to artists and explorers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Underhill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Underhill 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. Warwickshire leads with 356 Underhills recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.90x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 356 6.90x
Devon 332 7.80x
Staffordshire 249 3.61x
Middlesex 201 0.98x
Worcestershire 194 7.27x
Kent 146 2.09x
Gloucestershire 103 2.57x
Surrey 86 0.86x
Lancashire 49 0.20x
Sussex 44 1.28x
Hampshire 42 1.00x
Yorkshire 32 0.16x
Oxfordshire 25 1.98x
Somerset 25 0.76x
Cheshire 24 0.53x
Norfolk 19 0.60x
Durham 15 0.25x
Northamptonshire 13 0.68x
Glamorgan 12 0.34x
Nottinghamshire 12 0.44x
Hertfordshire 11 0.78x
Leicestershire 11 0.49x
Berkshire 10 0.65x
Shropshire 10 0.57x
Channel Islands 9 1.49x
Cornwall 9 0.39x
Stirlingshire 9 1.19x
Derbyshire 8 0.25x
Essex 8 0.20x
Royal Navy 7 2.87x
Midlothian 6 0.22x
Wiltshire 6 0.33x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.24x
Lincolnshire 3 0.09x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.15x
Dorset 1 0.07x
Fife 1 0.08x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.25x
Monmouthshire 1 0.07x
Rutland 1 0.67x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 150 Underhills recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.73x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 150 8.73x
Aston 81 5.70x
Chelsea London 42 6.82x
Harborne 39 17.63x
Moreton Hampstead 38 345.45x
West Bromwich 34 8.61x
Oldbury 32 24.36x
Bishops Tachbrook 29 695.44x
Wolverhampton 29 5.46x
Topsham 28 139.37x
Thornbury 26 94.86x
Tipton 26 12.30x
Battersea 24 3.19x
Tetbury 22 96.79x
Lambeth 21 1.18x
Tonbridge 20 7.95x
Stafford St Mary 19 19.45x
Warwick St Nicholas 19 50.25x
Kidderminster Borough 18 11.52x
Lower Mitton 18 76.50x
Dawlish 17 53.54x
Kensington London 17 1.50x
Trentham 17 28.96x
Winkleigh 17 198.83x
Hammersmith London 16 3.18x
Mile End Old Town 16 4.96x
Kidderminster Foreign 15 39.74x
Shebbear 15 234.74x
St Pancras London 15 0.91x
Hadlow 14 80.92x
Kingswinford 14 5.59x
Plymouth Charles The 14 7.47x
Bedminster 13 4.20x
Bethnal Green London 13 1.46x
Sampford Courtenay 13 204.40x
Chagford 12 117.76x
Hackney London 12 1.05x
Andover 11 27.78x
Berkswell 11 107.95x
Dudley 11 3.39x
Kings Norton 11 4.59x
Oxford St Giles 11 18.26x
Plymouth St Andrew 11 3.36x
Upper Penn 11 63.62x
Bristol St Paul In 10 9.36x
Coventry St Michael 10 6.04x
Edgbaston 10 6.26x
St George Hanover 10 3.75x
Bengeworth 9 97.93x
Chester Holy Trinity 9 42.53x
Droitwich St Peter 9 150.00x
East Farleigh 9 76.92x
Erith 9 13.09x
Exeter St David 9 24.75x
Falkirk 9 5.10x
Hanbury 9 124.65x
Kemsing 9 290.32x
Kirkleatham 9 32.89x
Leeds 9 0.79x
Newport 9 42.21x
Newton Abbot St Mary 9 25.21x
Paddington London 9 1.20x
Portsea 9 1.10x
Sedgley 9 3.51x
Shoreditch London 9 1.02x
St Helier 9 4.56x
Warwick St Mary 9 20.11x
West Teignmouth 9 27.64x
Worcester St Michael 9 293.16x
Derby St Alkmund 8 8.34x
East Stonehouse 8 9.54x
Everton 8 1.03x
Exminster 8 52.25x
Frome 8 10.16x
Leamington 8 23.41x
Lymington 8 25.97x
Northampton Priory St 8 6.93x
Stapleton 8 10.52x
Tettenhall 8 18.96x
Wembworthy 8 264.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 141
Sarah 80
Elizabeth 79
Jane 41
Emma 39
Ann 35
Eliza 32
Annie 29
Alice 28
Ellen 28
Emily 27
Louisa 22
Florence 20
Catherine 14
Edith 14
Kate 14
Charlotte 13
Hannah 13
Caroline 12
Harriett 12
Maria 12
Martha 12
Ada 11
Clara 11
Agnes 10
Fanny 10
Harriet 10
Anne 9
Amelia 8
Matilda 8
Julia 7
Lucy 7
Rose 7
Sophia 7
Susan 7
Helen 6
Margaret 6
Selina 6
Beatrice 5
Elizth. 5
Frances 5
Lilian 5
Anna 4
Bessie 4
Henrietta 4
Susannah 4
Grace 3
Isabella 3
Lillian 3
Maud 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 143
John 102
George 91
Thomas 76
James 51
Joseph 50
Henry 48
Charles 45
Edward 25
Frederick 23
Richard 23
Samuel 23
Alfred 22
Robert 22
Edwin 17
Walter 17
Harry 15
Arthur 14
Mark 12
Wm. 11
Albert 9
Ernest 7
Frank 7
Chas. 6
Fred 5
Geo. 5
Herbert 5
Thos. 5
Andrew 4
Daniel 4
Francis 4
Fredk. 4
Fredrick 4
Hugh 4
Benjamin 3
Percy 3
Willm. 3
Earnest 2
Ebenezer 2
Fred. 2
Geo.E. 2
Harold 2
Hy. 2
Infant 2
Isaac 2
Jno. 2
Job 2
Richd. 2
Sidney 2
Sydney 2

FAQ

Underhill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Underhill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,080 people were recorded with the Underhill surname. That placed it at #2,125 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Underhill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,200 in 2016. That gives Underhill a modern rank of #2,124.

What does the Underhill surname mean?

Derived from a place name referring to someone who lived at the foot of a hill.

What does the Underhill map show?

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