NameCensus.

UK surname

Haffenden

A locational surname derived from a place name in Kent, England.

In the 1881 census there were 371 people recorded with the Haffenden surname, ranking it #8,417 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 677, ranked #7,926, up from #8,417 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Warbleton and Hellingly. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rother, Eastbourne and Wealden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Haffenden is 731 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 82.5%.

1881 census count

371

Ranked #8,417

Modern count

677

2016, ranked #7,926

Peak year

1999

731 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Haffenden had 371 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,417 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 677 in 2016, ranked #7,926.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 635 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Haffenden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Haffenden surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Haffenden 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 261 #8,490
1861 historical 294 #8,571
1881 historical 371 #8,417
1891 historical 473 #7,758
1901 historical 540 #7,620
1911 historical 635 #6,547
1997 modern 698 #7,262
1998 modern 726 #7,277
1999 modern 731 #7,282
2000 modern 723 #7,319
2001 modern 708 #7,308
2002 modern 719 #7,355
2003 modern 705 #7,345
2004 modern 703 #7,367
2005 modern 698 #7,369
2006 modern 696 #7,386
2007 modern 696 #7,455
2008 modern 692 #7,552
2009 modern 709 #7,568
2010 modern 712 #7,679
2011 modern 709 #7,627
2012 modern 703 #7,580
2013 modern 710 #7,647
2014 modern 698 #7,790
2015 modern 684 #7,863
2016 modern 677 #7,926

Geography

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Where Haffendens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Warbleton, Hellingly, Arlington and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rother, Eastbourne and Wealden. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Warbleton Sussex
3 Hellingly Sussex
4 Arlington Sussex
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rother 004 Rother
2 Eastbourne 007 Eastbourne
3 Rother 007 Rother
4 Wealden 014 Wealden
5 Eastbourne 013 Eastbourne

Forenames

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First names often paired with Haffenden

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Haffenden

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Haffenden, 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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Haffenden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Haffenden household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Haffenden is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Haffenden is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Haffenden falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Haffenden

The surname HAFFENDEN is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words 'hafocc' meaning 'havoc' and 'denu' meaning 'valley'. It is a locational surname, referring to someone who lived in the Havoc Valley, likely in the county of Kent, England.

The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to the 13th century in the Pipe Rolls of Kent, where it appeared as 'de Haffyngdene'. This suggests the name was originally a descriptive one, identifying the place where the first bearer lived.

By the 14th century, the surname had evolved to 'Haffendene' and 'Haffyndene', as seen in various tax records and parish registers from that period. These variations reflect the changing spelling conventions and regional dialects of medieval England.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the HAFFENDEN name. However, it does mention several places with similar names, such as 'Hafingdene' in Kent, which may have been the original location associated with the surname.

One of the earliest known bearers of the HAFFENDEN name was John Haffenden, a wool merchant from Kent who lived in the late 14th century. Another notable figure was William Haffenden, a yeoman farmer from Sussex, who was mentioned in a land deed from 1512.

In the 17th century, a branch of the HAFFENDEN family settled in the village of Tenterden, Kent. One member, Thomas Haffenden (1628-1696), was a prominent landowner and served as a local magistrate.

During the English Civil War, a Captain Richard Haffenden (1620-1678) fought on the Parliamentarian side and was later granted lands in Ireland as part of the Cromwellian settlement.

The HAFFENDEN surname has also been associated with several places in Kent, such as Haffenden Quarter and Haffenden Farm, which likely derived their names from early residents with the surname.

Other notable individuals with the HAFFENDEN surname include Sir Walter Haffenden (1792-1867), a British naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars, and Reverend John Haffenden (1755-1832), an Anglican clergyman and author from Kent.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Haffenden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Haffenden 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. Sussex leads with 240 Haffendens recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.33x.

County Total Index
Sussex 240 39.33x
Kent 86 6.96x
Surrey 26 1.47x
Middlesex 10 0.28x
Essex 5 0.70x
Hampshire 2 0.27x
Bedfordshire 1 0.53x
Midlothian 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Heathfield in Sussex leads with 62 Haffendens recorded in 1881 and an index of 2510.12x.

Place Total Index
Heathfield 62 2510.12x
Brenchley 21 475.11x
Brighton 19 15.43x
Hove 18 67.24x
Hellingly 11 539.22x
Lewes St John Southover 11 268.29x
Mayfield 11 304.71x
Ramsgate 11 54.56x
Hartfield 10 518.13x
Isfield 9 1607.14x
Chiddingly 8 727.27x
Rotherfield 8 148.98x
Fairfield 7 10000.00x
Frant 7 162.04x
Hailsham 7 189.70x
Mortlake 7 89.06x
Speldhurst 7 111.29x
Wimbledon 7 35.35x
Battersea 6 4.51x
Cliffe 6 291.26x
Eastbourne 6 21.37x
Maidstone 6 16.31x
Tenterden 6 137.93x
Arlington 5 684.93x
Brasted 5 312.50x
Wartling 5 675.68x
Willingdon 5 322.58x
Hackney London 4 1.97x
Hastings St Leonards 4 44.59x
Lewes All Sts 4 164.61x
Seal 4 201.01x
Staplehurst 4 197.04x
Havering 3 545.45x
Malden 3 652.17x
Rye 3 51.72x
Sutton At Hone 3 117.19x
Westham 3 241.94x
Ashford 2 16.63x
Boughton Monchelsea 2 147.06x
Gillingham 2 7.86x
Hanwell 2 31.15x
Hastings St Clement 2 34.84x
Kensington London 2 0.99x
Mile End Old Town London 2 2.60x
Rayleigh 2 121.21x
Warbleton 2 109.89x
Bedford St Mary 1 20.70x
Broadwater 1 7.14x
Burwash 1 35.34x
Croydon 1 1.02x
Dallington 1 151.52x
Dover St Mary Virgin 1 8.37x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.51x
Epsom 1 11.64x
Hastings Holy Trinity 1 22.22x
Hastings St Mary 1 6.58x
Hastings St Mary In The 1 7.68x
Headcorn 1 54.05x
Henfield 1 42.74x
Lambeth 1 0.32x
Lewes St Ann 1 48.08x
Lewes St Michael 1 82.64x
Little Horsted 1 270.27x
New Romney 1 78.74x
Northiam 1 66.67x
Old Shoreham 1 322.58x
Portsea 1 0.69x
Portsmouth 1 5.85x
Salehurst 1 37.88x
St Lawrence 1 11.78x
Tonbridge 1 2.25x
Uckfield 1 37.59x
Walmer 1 18.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Alice 11
Elizabeth 10
Ellen 9
Sarah 9
Annie 7
Emily 7
Fanny 5
Harriet 5
Harriett 5
Charlotte 4
Eliza 4
Martha 4
Ruth 4
Anne 3
Caroline 3
Edith 3
Emma 3
Frances 3
Hannah 3
Jane 3
Kate 3
Lucy 3
Agnes 2
Ann 2
Eva 2
Florence 2
Julia 2
Lydia 2
Mercy 2
Minnie 2
Philadelphia 2
Rose 2
Sally 2
Amy 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Constance 1
Elsie 1
Ethel 1
Flora 1
Francis 1
Jannett 1
Jemima 1
Katherine 1
Lily 1
Louisa 1
Marion 1
May 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 22
James 14
John 13
Charles 11
William 11
Albert 7
Henry 7
Walter 6
Alfred 5
Frank 5
Horace 5
Thomas 5
Frederick 4
Mark 4
Richard 4
Samuel 4
Stephen 4
Harry 3
Philemon 3
Robert 3
Arthur 2
Edwin 2
Israel 2
Jesse 2
Joseph 2
Leonard 2
Owen 2
Burt 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Demos 1
Dennis 1
Ebenezer 1
Edgar 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Fredck.Thomas 1
Geo.Fredk. 1
Herbert 1
Infant 1
Joel 1
Laurance 1
Luke 1
Myler 1
Nelson 1
Percy 1
Philemore 1
Reuben 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Haffenden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Haffenden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 371 people were recorded with the Haffenden surname. That placed it at #8,417 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Haffenden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 677 in 2016. That gives Haffenden a modern rank of #7,926.

What does the Haffenden surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name in Kent, England.

What does the Haffenden map show?

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