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Origins of the Holt surname

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What does the name Holt mean?

Holt is an English surname. It is based on the Middle English 'holt' (wooded hill) and has topographical origins. It would be given to those people who lived in or near a wood, or on a wooded hill. The word 'holt' was in common use in the medieval period, and can be found in Chaucer's 'Canterbury tales'.

Alternative variations of the name Holt

Holt, Hold, Hollt, Holde, Helt

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Where do most Holts live?

In 1921, most Holts lived in London.


Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

Interesting facts about Holts

How common is your surname?

199th most common surname in the UK

We have 194,000 records for the Holt surname. The oldest one dates back to 1538.

Who were Holts most likely to marry?

Our Marriage record sets tell us which families married Holts.

What are the most common Holt first names?

  • John
  • William
  • Mary
  • Elizabeth

Our birth record sets tell us the names of Holt family members

Common jobs for Holts

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Common Female occupations for Holts in 1921
Cotton Weaver

2,042

Dressmaker

636

Weaver Cotton

465

Cotton Winder

443

Weaver

427

Common Male occupations for Holts in 1921
Cotton Weaver

886

Coal Miner

762

General Labourer

579

Farmer

431

Joiner

429

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We found over 230,000 family trees with the Holt surname

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