The Hough surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 15,549 people carried this name — #2,345 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 19,000 people counted. That is up 3% from 15,090 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Hough surname

As an Irish surname, variant of Haugh.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Hough» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of the hough’.

An early record he cites: Willelmus de Huff, 1379 — Poll Tax, West Riding of Yorkshire.

His entry covers Hough and Houfe.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 401 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Hough was found among the farmers of 2 counties.

It was most frequent in Cheshire: 19 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 526. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Cheshire 19
Lancashire 8

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

193 families named Hough, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 1,107 people lived in those households, 5.7 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 6 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Pennsylvania 56
Connecticut 33
New York 32
North Carolina 17
Maine 14
Virginia 13
South Carolina 10
New Hampshire 6
Vermont 5
Maryland 4
Massachusetts 3

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 246 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Hough in American newspapers,
1899.

Newspaper page from Foster's Daily Democrat carrying the name Hough
Foster's Daily Democrat 1899-06-06
Newspaper page from Foster's Daily Democrat carrying the name Hough
Foster's Daily Democrat 1899-06-20
Newspaper page from Foster's Daily Democrat carrying the name Hough
Foster's Daily Democrat 1899-02-06

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 398,671 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Hough in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.

29,971 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Hough. The most, 5,259, date from the 1910s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Western Australia, at 3.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 11,767
Western Australia 8,540
Queensland 4,352
Victoria 2,702
South Australia 1,778
Tasmania 603
ACT (Canberra) 166
Northern Territory 9

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Hough.

Who carried it

People named Hough,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Clarence Augustus Hough d. 1935 · writer
  • Adam Hough d. 1804
  • Amy Maria Hough d. 1959
  • Ada Maria Hough d. 1894
  • Richard Hough 1505–1574 · politician
  • Elizabeth Hough 1610–1674

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Hough,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,760 records

1,760 records of the Hough name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 568
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 433
  • Other U.S. records 759
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Ernest W. Hough

    Born 1917 in Illinois. Enlisted 1945 at Fort Macarthur San Pedro, California; craneman. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1959, buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Michael Peter Hough

    Born 1947; from Remus, Michigan. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1968 in Binh Duong, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Thomas Hough

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Adriatic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 28; engineer. From Lancashire, England; bound for Philadelphia.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,760 records for Hough in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls) · Ramsey County, Minnesota (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia605 records

605 records of the Hough name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 297
  • Tasmanian Names Index 95
  • Other Australian records 213
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Thomas Hough

    Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1853. Married 1853 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 28.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record William Hough

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Claudine, arriving 1829; ticket of leave 1843.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Arthur Hough

    Arrived in Victoria in 1855 aboard the Red Jacket, aged 20; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 605 records for Hough in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada52 records

52 records of the Hough name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 14
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 13
  • Other Canadian records 25
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Marion Hough

    Buried in 1979 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 68.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record John Hough

    Died 1944 in Amherst, Cumberland, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Franklin Wales Hough

    Died in service in 1942.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 52 records for Hough in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom45 records

45 records of the Hough name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 35
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 6
  • Welsh wills index cards 4
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Joseph Hough

    Buried in 1817 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 55.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Clara Alice Hough

    Will proved in 1941; of Brooklands, Chester.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. Hough

    Royal Army Ordnance Corps. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 45 records for Hough in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Ireland18 records

18 records of the Hough name in Ireland County Galway graveyard records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Jim Hough

    Died 1993, aged 87; buried at Abbeygormican, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record James Hough

    Died 1993, aged 68; buried at Abbeygormican, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Patrick Hough

    Died 1941, aged 68; buried at Abbeygormican, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 18 records for Hough in Ireland.

Counts: Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

New Zealand16 records

16 records of the Hough name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 14
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Albert Edward Hough

    Died 1964, aged 83; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Albert Hough

    Buried in 1993 at Buffalo Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 76.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record T. Hough

    New Zealand Infantry. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 16 records for Hough in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Netherlands2 records

2 records of the Hough name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 1
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Alice Esther Eleanor Hough

    Married in 1913 in Lisse.

    Open Archives, Nationaal Archief Rijksarchief Zuid-Holland (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Emilie Hough

    In the population register of 's-Gravenhage; born 1887 in Guernsy.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

France1 record

1 record of the Hough name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Winifred Maud Hough

    Born 1917 in Londres (Angleterre); died 1999 in Annecy (Haute-Savoie).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Hough.

When the index is not enough

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