NameCensus.

UK surname

Hadfield

An English locational surname derived from a place meaning "heather field."

In the 1881 census there were 4,177 people recorded with the Hadfield surname, ranking it #1,076 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,478, ranked #1,520, down from #1,076 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, Glossop and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include High Peak, Tameside and Derbyshire Dales.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hadfield is 5,137 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 7.2%.

1881 census count

4,177

Ranked #1,076

Modern count

4,478

2016, ranked #1,520

Peak year

1911

5,137 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hadfield had 4,177 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,076 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,478 in 2016, ranked #1,520.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,137 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hadfield surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hadfield surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hadfield 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 2,723 #1,079
1861 historical 2,996 #962
1881 historical 4,177 #1,076
1891 historical 4,495 #1,046
1901 historical 4,834 #1,170
1911 historical 5,137 #1,020
1997 modern 4,644 #1,409
1998 modern 4,758 #1,428
1999 modern 4,773 #1,439
2000 modern 4,738 #1,435
2001 modern 4,618 #1,440
2002 modern 4,665 #1,461
2003 modern 4,559 #1,458
2004 modern 4,520 #1,470
2005 modern 4,499 #1,457
2006 modern 4,501 #1,456
2007 modern 4,510 #1,465
2008 modern 4,491 #1,483
2009 modern 4,602 #1,484
2010 modern 4,654 #1,502
2011 modern 4,575 #1,504
2012 modern 4,417 #1,522
2013 modern 4,518 #1,521
2014 modern 4,549 #1,518
2015 modern 4,477 #1,527
2016 modern 4,478 #1,520

Geography

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Where Hadfields are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, Glossop, Manchester and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to High Peak, Tameside and Derbyshire Dales. 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 Stockport Cheshire
2 Glossop Derbyshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Stockport Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 High Peak 013 High Peak
2 High Peak 006 High Peak
3 Tameside 001 Tameside
4 Derbyshire Dales 001 Derbyshire Dales
5 Tameside 010 Tameside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hadfield

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hadfield

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

Hadfield 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

Hadfield falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hadfield

The Hadfield surname has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is an English locational name derived from the place name Hadfield, which is located in the county of Derbyshire. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English words "hæcc" meaning a gate or bend, and "feld" meaning a field or open country.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Hadfield surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Hadefeld" in the county of Derbyshire. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various historical records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it was spelled as "Hathefeld" and "Hathfeld." During this period, the name was also associated with several places in Derbyshire, such as Hadfield and Hayfield.

One of the earliest known individuals with the Hadfield surname was John Hadfield, who was born around 1450 in Derbyshire. He was a prominent landowner and served as a Justice of the Peace in the county.

Another notable figure was Sir George Hadfield (1605-1670), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Derbyshire in the Long Parliament during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, the Hadfield family gained prominence in the industrial revolution, with several members becoming successful manufacturers and innovators in the steel industry. One of the most famous was Robert Abbott Hadfield (1858-1940), a renowned metallurgist and inventor who developed the first manganese steel alloy.

Other notable individuals with the Hadfield surname include Sir Robert Hadfield (1859-1940), a pioneering English industrialist and philanthropist, and Charles Hadfield (1821-1884), an English clergyman and author who wrote several books on theology and history.

The Hadfield surname has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Hadfield in Derbyshire, Hadfield in Gloucestershire, and Hadfield in Yorkshire, reflecting the widespread distribution of the name across the country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hadfield families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hadfield 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. Lancashire leads with 1,395 Hadfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.89x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,395 2.89x
Derbyshire 941 14.78x
Cheshire 834 9.29x
Yorkshire 520 1.29x
Nottinghamshire 82 1.50x
Middlesex 68 0.17x
Surrey 67 0.34x
Staffordshire 54 0.39x
Warwickshire 41 0.40x
Cumberland 34 0.97x
Kent 29 0.21x
Leicestershire 21 0.47x
Durham 13 0.11x
Gloucestershire 12 0.15x
Sussex 10 0.15x
Hertfordshire 9 0.32x
Lincolnshire 8 0.12x
Hampshire 6 0.07x
Worcestershire 6 0.11x
Somerset 4 0.06x
Glamorgan 3 0.04x
Monmouthshire 2 0.07x
Anglesey 1 0.14x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.06x
Dorset 1 0.04x
Essex 1 0.01x
Lanarkshire 1 0.01x
Midlothian 1 0.02x
Norfolk 1 0.02x
Northamptonshire 1 0.03x
Renfrewshire 1 0.03x
Royal Navy 1 0.21x
Shropshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glossop Dale in Derbyshire leads with 273 Hadfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 91.54x.

Place Total Index
Glossop Dale 273 91.54x
Ashton Under Lyne 230 21.80x
Oldham 156 10.01x
Dukinfield 152 36.63x
Manchester 116 5.34x
Stockport 102 22.07x
Sheffield 101 7.87x
Hayfield 94 240.59x
Hyde 78 29.44x
Ecclesall Bierlow 64 7.81x
Newton 60 16.13x
Blackburn 56 4.36x
Marple 54 87.61x
Newton In Ashton Under 53 59.82x
Chinley Bugsworth 52 310.63x
Macclesfield 47 11.78x
Chesterfield 45 18.85x
Salford 45 3.17x
Nottingham St Mary 43 3.03x
Eckington 41 26.50x
Mottram 41 100.81x
Droylsden 39 24.77x
Chapel En Le Frith 34 58.47x
Little Bolton 34 5.48x
Nether Hallam 34 6.23x
Over Darwen 34 8.82x
Hulme 32 3.18x
Cheadle 31 18.07x
Gorton 30 6.61x
Bosden 29 105.23x
Royton 29 19.64x
Ardwick 24 5.51x
Castleton 24 265.19x
Shirland 24 50.38x
Holme In Huddersfield 23 243.64x
Bramhall 22 59.16x
Brinnington 22 26.23x
Hope 22 476.19x
Kimberworth 22 9.83x
Lambeth 22 0.62x
Parwich 22 336.39x
Peak Forest 21 302.16x
Pendleton In Salford 21 3.65x
Bredbury 20 38.48x
Great Bolton 20 3.13x
Huddersfield 20 3.41x
Littleover 20 185.01x
Stretford 20 7.53x
Altrincham 19 12.11x
Derby St Peter 19 9.37x
Derby St Werburgh 19 5.17x
Heaton Norris 19 6.92x
Stayley 19 18.51x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 18 4.79x
Tintwistle 17 35.43x
Brampton 16 17.97x
Broughton In Salford 16 3.63x
Burton Upon Trent 16 4.98x
Caldewgate 16 8.34x
Yeardsley Cum Whaley 16 90.34x
Crompton 15 10.91x
Haughton 15 21.30x
Rugby 15 10.81x
Saddleworth 15 4.82x
Widnes 15 4.31x
Brightside Bierlow 14 1.77x
Edmonton 14 4.27x
Burslem 13 3.31x
Denton 13 12.15x
Matlock 13 15.20x
Moss Side 13 5.12x
Wardleworth 13 4.71x
Barnsley 12 2.89x
Great Harwood 12 13.75x
Hollingworth 12 32.41x
Moston 12 24.79x
Openshaw 12 5.31x
Romiley 12 47.37x
Birmingham 11 0.32x
Leicester St Margaret 11 1.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 331
Sarah 222
Elizabeth 193
Hannah 116
Ann 94
Alice 69
Martha 63
Ellen 61
Annie 57
Eliza 57
Emma 55
Jane 54
Maria 31
Emily 30
Margaret 29
Clara 28
Harriet 27
Charlotte 26
Edith 21
Florence 21
Fanny 17
Betty 16
Esther 16
Lucy 16
Ada 15
Kate 15
Agnes 14
Bertha 14
Nancy 14
Amelia 13
Frances 13
Elizth. 12
Harriett 12
Ruth 12
Anne 11
Susan 10
Amy 7
Caroline 7
Gertrude 7
Mabel 7
Minnie 7
Susannah 7
Beatrice 6
Betsy 6
Julia 6
Louisa 6
Nellie 6
Rose 6
Catherine 5
Grace 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 279
William 186
Joseph 176
James 155
Thomas 142
George 122
Samuel 97
Charles 71
Robert 51
Henry 41
Arthur 32
Walter 28
Albert 26
Alfred 25
Isaac 22
Edward 21
Wm. 18
Fred 17
Harry 16
Frederick 14
Richard 14
Francis 13
Herbert 13
David 12
Tom 12
Benjamin 11
Ernest 11
Frank 11
Edwin 10
Thos. 10
Eli 9
Percy 9
Joe 8
Ralph 8
Saml. 8
Peter 7
Wright 7
Harold 6
Israel 6
Joshua 6
Abraham 5
Chas. 5
Daniel 5
Earnest 5
Fredrick 5
Levi 5
Luke 5
Willie 5
Louis 4
Squire 4

FAQ

Hadfield surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hadfield surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,177 people were recorded with the Hadfield surname. That placed it at #1,076 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hadfield surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,478 in 2016. That gives Hadfield a modern rank of #1,520.

What does the Hadfield surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place meaning "heather field."

What does the Hadfield map show?

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