NameCensus.

UK surname

Haggart

A Scottish surname possibly derived from a locational name referring to a haggard (garden or enclosure).

In the 1881 census there were 727 people recorded with the Haggart surname, ranking it #5,022 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 819, ranked #6,776, down from #5,022 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Errol, Abernethy and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Aberuthven and Almondbank, Fintry and Brechin East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Haggart is 859 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.7%.

1881 census count

727

Ranked #5,022

Modern count

819

2016, ranked #6,776

Peak year

1901

859 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Haggart had 727 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,022 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 819 in 2016, ranked #6,776.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 859 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Haggart surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Haggart surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Haggart 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 512 #4,886
1861 historical 516 #5,072
1881 historical 727 #5,022
1891 historical 732 #5,422
1901 historical 859 #5,322
1911 historical 119 #20,535
1997 modern 787 #6,630
1998 modern 822 #6,617
1999 modern 828 #6,620
2000 modern 821 #6,633
2001 modern 796 #6,669
2002 modern 828 #6,593
2003 modern 800 #6,652
2004 modern 819 #6,539
2005 modern 811 #6,540
2006 modern 816 #6,509
2007 modern 813 #6,597
2008 modern 826 #6,565
2009 modern 818 #6,752
2010 modern 831 #6,817
2011 modern 830 #6,732
2012 modern 800 #6,827
2013 modern 810 #6,879
2014 modern 834 #6,757
2015 modern 824 #6,769
2016 modern 819 #6,776

Geography

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Where Haggarts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Errol, Abernethy, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Perth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Aberuthven and Almondbank, Fintry, Brechin East, Blair Atholl, Strathardle and Glenshee and Carnoustie East. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Errol Perth
2 Abernethy Perth
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Perth Perth

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Aberuthven and Almondbank Perth and Kinross
2 Fintry Dundee City
3 Brechin East Angus
4 Blair Atholl, Strathardle and Glenshee Perth and Kinross
5 Carnoustie East Angus

Forenames

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First names often paired with Haggart

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Haggart

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Haggart surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Haggart household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Haggart is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Haggart 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

Haggart falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Haggart is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Haggart, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Haggart

The surname Haggart originated in Scotland during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "hag," which means a small wood or thicket, and the Middle English word "gert," meaning a thicket or dense growth of bushes. The name likely referred to someone who lived near or worked in a densely forested area.

The earliest recorded instances of the Haggart name date back to the 13th century in the Scottish Lowlands. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William Haggard, who was mentioned in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1264. The name also appeared in various charters and land records throughout the 13th and 14th centuries, often spelled as Haggard, Haggart, or Hagart.

In the 15th century, the Haggart name was found in the Ragman Rolls, a historical record of Scottish landowners who swore fealty to King Edward I of England in the late 13th century. One notable individual was John Haggart, a landowner in Berwickshire, who was mentioned in the Ragman Rolls in 1296.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Haggart name spread throughout Scotland and into the northern counties of England. Notable bearers of the name included James Haggart, a Scottish scholar and philosopher who lived in the late 16th century, and Robert Haggart, a Scottish minister and writer who published several religious works in the early 17th century.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, several individuals with the Haggart surname made significant contributions in various fields. William Haggart (1755-1832) was a Scottish painter and engraver known for his landscape paintings and etchings. David Haggart (1801-1821) was a Scottish criminal who was hanged for murder, and his life story inspired several literary works. Sir John Haggart (1836-1913) was a Scottish businessman and philanthropist who founded the Haggart Institute, a trade school in Glasgow.

Other notable individuals with the Haggart surname include: 1. John Haggart (1839-1922), a Canadian politician and businessman. 2. William Haggart (1852-1925), a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician. 3. Richard Haggart (1891-1966), a British journalist and writer. 4. Charles Haggart (1905-1980), a Scottish-born American jazz drummer and bandleader. 5. Alexander Haggart (1911-1998), a Scottish-born Canadian artist and educator.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Haggart families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Haggart 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. Perthshire leads with 233 Haggarts recorded in 1881 and an index of 73.51x.

County Total Index
Perthshire 233 73.51x
Angus 145 22.16x
Lanarkshire 70 3.06x
Midlothian 64 6.76x
Fife 53 12.68x
Argyllshire 40 20.35x
Yorkshire 25 0.36x
Stirlingshire 17 6.53x
Lancashire 14 0.17x
Anglesey 7 5.59x
Durham 7 0.33x
Dunbartonshire 6 3.16x
Essex 6 0.43x
Middlesex 5 0.07x
Inverness-shire 4 1.90x
Kinross-shire 4 22.41x
Suffolk 4 0.47x
Northumberland 3 0.29x
Renfrewshire 3 0.55x
Surrey 3 0.09x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.31x
Clackmannanshire 2 3.43x
Shropshire 2 0.33x
Berkshire 1 0.19x
East Lothian 1 1.07x
Gloucestershire 1 0.07x
Ross-shire 1 0.52x
Royal Navy 1 1.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dundee in Angus leads with 61 Haggarts recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.97x.

Place Total Index
Dundee 61 24.97x
Abernethy 55 1328.50x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 49 12.87x
Glasgow 22 5.42x
Liff Benvie 20 20.14x
Kilmore Kilbride 18 144.23x
Barony 17 2.94x
Govan 17 3.01x
Perth West Church 16 106.38x
Errol 15 255.54x
Kenmore 15 396.83x
Scone 14 248.67x
Redgorton 13 369.32x
Glassary 12 113.31x
Logie 10 87.95x
Mains 10 179.86x
St Vigeans 10 28.31x
Fortingall 9 222.22x
Logierait 9 161.29x
Strathmiglo 9 180.00x
Tannadice 9 295.08x
Auchtergaven 8 150.66x
Callander 8 152.96x
Crieff 8 67.85x
Cupar 8 44.00x
Kilconquhar 8 160.64x
Little Dunkeld 8 148.70x
Auchtermuchty 7 124.56x
Balquhidder 7 460.53x
Buchanan 7 526.32x
Holyhead 7 29.99x
Kirriemuir 7 43.37x
Maryhill 7 15.66x
Panbride 7 205.28x
South Shields 7 37.39x
Colinton 6 56.87x
Keighley 6 8.04x
Aberlemno 5 206.61x
Barry 5 63.69x
Bilsdale Midcable 5 304.88x
Forgan 5 62.42x
Murroes 5 274.73x
Skelton In Guisbrough 5 26.41x
Ardwick 4 5.29x
Birdbrook 4 285.71x
Croy Dalcross 4 95.92x
Edinburgh St Marys 4 21.75x
Kilmallie 4 39.56x
Kinross 4 65.36x
Leslie 4 37.77x
Newburgh 4 75.33x
Old Kilpatrick 4 17.83x
Old Monkland 4 4.41x
Perth East Church 4 13.38x
Stirling 4 12.18x
Tuddenham St Mary 4 430.11x
Blackburn 3 1.35x
Comrie 3 66.23x
Findo Gask 3 340.91x
Kinghorn 3 33.82x
Kinnoull 3 36.01x
Nether Hallam 3 3.17x
Perth St Pauls 3 40.87x
St Martins 3 166.67x
St Ninians 3 11.62x
Wuerdle Wardle 3 11.79x
Alloa 2 7.07x
Arrochar 2 160.00x
Cargill 2 60.61x
Drymen 2 57.31x
Inchture 2 126.58x
Kilrenny 2 25.87x
Knapdale North 2 89.29x
Lambeth 2 0.32x
Liverpool 2 0.39x
Muthill 2 48.31x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 2 3.19x
St Marylebone London 2 0.53x
West Greenock 2 2.04x
West Ham 2 0.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Jane 4
Emma 3
Annie 2
Elizabeth 2
Esther 2
Hannah 2
Janet 2
Margret 2
Agnes 1
Alison 1
Annine 1
Barbara 1
Catherine 1
Christina 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Euphemia 1
Hamiah 1
Isabel 1
Lavinia 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Margert 1
Margt. 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 5
Thomas 5
William 5
John 4
Alexander 3
David 2
Duncan 2
Frederick 2
James 2
Albert 1
D.B.B. 1
Edwin 1
J. 1

FAQ

Haggart surname: questions and answers

How common was the Haggart surname in 1881?

In 1881, 727 people were recorded with the Haggart surname. That placed it at #5,022 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Haggart surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 819 in 2016. That gives Haggart a modern rank of #6,776.

What does the Haggart surname mean?

A Scottish surname possibly derived from a locational name referring to a haggard (garden or enclosure).

What does the Haggart map show?

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