HEAD

Origin and etymology In historic texts In the 1881 census Distribution map

Head

Head is a surname of English origin that is derived from the Old English word "heafod", meaning "head" or "chief". The surname was likely originally given as a nickname for someone who held a position of authority or prominence in a community, or who had a large head or prominent features.

The Head surname is widely distributed in the United Kingdom, particularly in regions with Anglo-Saxon heritage such as the Midlands and southern England. The variant "Heade" is also found in some areas.

Notable individuals with the surname Head include Sir Edmund Walker Head, a 19th-century British colonial administrator and statesman, and Roy Head, an English-born American singer known for his 1965 hit "Treat Her Right".

Variants of the surname Head include Heads, Heade, and Heades. The name has also been anglicised to variants such as Hedde or Hedd.

In contemporary times, the Head surname continues to be found in the United Kingdom and has spread to other English-speaking countries through immigration. The family name may carry different variations and be linked to diverse family histories and genealogies.

There are approximately 12,190 people named Head in the UK. That makes it the 746th most common surname in Britain. Around 187 in a million people in Britain are named Head.

Surname type: Location or geographical feature

Origin: English

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: England

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: English

Typical given names associated with the surname

Male

Andrew
Anthony
Christopher
David
James
John
Michael
Peter
Robert
Stephen

Female

Amanda
Barbara
Christine
Deborah
Elizabeth
Emma
Gillian
Margaret
Patricia
Rebecca
Sarah
Sharon
Susan
Victoria

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.