NameCensus.

UK surname

Halden

A place name referring to someone from Halden, a town in Norway.

In the 1881 census there were 270 people recorded with the Halden surname, ranking it #10,484 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 262, ranked #16,256, down from #10,484 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire East, West Dorset and Cannock Chase.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Halden is 598 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.0%.

1881 census count

270

Ranked #10,484

Modern count

262

2016, ranked #16,256

Peak year

1861

598 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Halden had 270 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,484 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 262 in 2016, ranked #16,256.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 598 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Halden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Halden surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Halden 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 457 #5,414
1861 historical 598 #4,432
1881 historical 270 #10,484
1891 historical 495 #7,489
1901 historical 360 #10,212
1911 historical 327 #10,742
1997 modern 264 #14,734
1998 modern 277 #14,646
1999 modern 282 #14,545
2000 modern 281 #14,567
2001 modern 272 #14,654
2002 modern 268 #15,081
2003 modern 253 #15,493
2004 modern 244 #15,948
2005 modern 243 #15,943
2006 modern 248 #15,820
2007 modern 251 #15,861
2008 modern 254 #15,903
2009 modern 265 #15,756
2010 modern 258 #16,432
2011 modern 256 #16,383
2012 modern 266 #15,828
2013 modern 271 #15,875
2014 modern 276 #15,788
2015 modern 265 #16,139
2016 modern 262 #16,256

Geography

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Where Haldens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington, Edinburgh, Sawbridgeworth and Paisley Abbey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire East, West Dorset and Cannock Chase. 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 Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington Staffordshire
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Sawbridgeworth Hertfordshire
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire East 036 Cheshire East
2 Cheshire East 031 Cheshire East
3 West Dorset 007 West Dorset
4 Cheshire East 034 Cheshire East
5 Cannock Chase 003 Cannock Chase

Forenames

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First names often paired with Halden

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Halden

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Halden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Halden household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Halden is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

Scattered throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Halden is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Halden falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Halden is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Halden

The surname Halden originated in northern England during the medieval period, derived from the Old English words "haeld" meaning "hilly place" and "dun" meaning "hill." It likely referred to a person living near a prominent hill or hilly region. The earliest recorded instances of the name appear in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was spelled as "Haldene" and "Haldun."

The name was particularly prevalent in Northumberland and Yorkshire, where several villages and hamlets bore similar names, such as Haldenby and Halden-le-Moors. These place names likely influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir William Halden, a knight who fought alongside King Edward I during the Scottish Wars of Independence in the late 13th century. Another notable figure was John Halden, a merchant and alderman in the city of York, who lived in the early 15th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name appeared in various records, including parish registers and tax rolls, with spellings ranging from "Halden" to "Haldeyn" and "Haldane." One prominent individual from this period was Thomas Halden (1564-1629), a clergyman and author who served as the rector of Teddington in Middlesex.

In the 18th century, the name was carried by Robert Halden (1705-1778), a Scottish mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of comets and planetary orbits. Another notable bearer was Sir John Halden (1730-1812), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

As the industrial revolution took hold in the 19th century, the name became more widespread across England and Scotland, with families migrating to urban centers in search of employment. One notable figure from this era was Charles Halden (1816-1898), a British architect who designed several prominent buildings in London, including the Royal Albert Hall.

Despite its relatively small numbers, the surname Halden has persisted throughout history, with bearers making their mark in various fields, from academia and religion to military service and architecture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Halden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Halden 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. Staffordshire leads with 58 Haldens recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.55x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 58 6.55x
Fife 35 22.53x
Middlesex 24 0.91x
Renfrewshire 22 10.82x
Lancashire 20 0.64x
Surrey 16 1.25x
Lanarkshire 14 1.65x
Midlothian 11 3.13x
Northumberland 9 2.31x
Yorkshire 9 0.35x
Cheshire 8 1.38x
Glamorgan 6 1.31x
Warwickshire 6 0.91x
Worcestershire 5 1.46x
Sussex 4 0.90x
Durham 3 0.38x
Hampshire 3 0.56x
Kent 3 0.34x
Ayrshire 2 1.02x
Denbighshire 2 2.02x
Hertfordshire 2 1.11x
Angus 1 0.41x
Essex 1 0.19x
Inverness-shire 1 1.28x
Peeblesshire 1 8.10x
Shropshire 1 0.44x
Somerset 1 0.24x
Stirlingshire 1 1.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dunfermline in Fife leads with 22 Haldens recorded in 1881 and an index of 92.13x.

Place Total Index
Dunfermline 22 92.13x
Stafford St Mary 22 175.44x
Milwich 13 2653.06x
Stoke Upon Trent 13 13.84x
Longbenton 9 54.41x
Abbotshall 8 137.93x
Edinburgh St Marys 8 117.13x
Govan 8 3.81x
Lambeth 8 3.50x
Manchester 8 5.71x
St Andrew Holborn London 8 70.42x
Weston In Nantwich 8 1702.13x
Holy Trinity 7 11.19x
Abbey 6 19.34x
Fillongley 6 638.30x
Mile End Old Town London 6 10.74x
St Katherine Creechurch 6 1333.33x
Swansea Lower 6 257.51x
Barony 5 2.33x
Camberwell 5 2.98x
Great Bolton 5 12.12x
Kings Norton 5 16.27x
Paisley High Church 5 30.88x
Paisley Middle Church 5 42.23x
Stone 4 35.30x
Burnley 3 11.44x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 3 8.87x
Inveresk 3 31.51x
Neilston 3 29.38x
New Alresford 3 215.83x
Newington 3 3.10x
Kirkcaldy 2 25.97x
Markinch 2 37.95x
Paisley Low Church 2 31.06x
Ruabon 2 14.67x
Slinfold 2 289.86x
St George Hanover Square 2 4.33x
Swynnerton 2 285.71x
Tonge 2 30.63x
Aberdour 1 64.10x
Ardrossan 1 14.71x
Brent Pelham 1 476.19x
Brighton 1 1.12x
Darlaston 1 8.17x
Eltham 1 19.05x
Falkirk 1 4.42x
Frindsbury 1 29.67x
Frome 1 9.90x
Glasgow 1 0.66x
Hammersmith London 1 1.55x
Higham 1 82.64x
Inverness 1 5.07x
Kirdford 1 64.94x
Kirkdale 1 1.91x
Middle Greenock 1 18.02x
Montrose 1 6.79x
Newton 1 4.17x
Peebles 1 27.40x
Sculcoates 1 2.43x
Sheffield 1 1.21x
St Martin In Fields 1 6.37x
Stevenston 1 19.53x
Trentham 1 13.28x
Walthamstow 1 5.36x
Ware 1 19.31x
Willenhall 1 6.03x
Wolverhampton 1 1.47x
Worfield 1 63.69x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Hannah 9
Elizabeth 8
Jane 8
Mary 7
Ann 5
Annie 4
Harriet 4
Sarah 4
Alice 3
Emma 3
Margaret 3
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Florence 2
Maria 2
Susan 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Alison 1
Anne 1
Blanche 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Dinah 1
Dora 1
E. 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Elsie 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Hannar 1
Harriot 1
Henretta 1
Isabel 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Keynah 1
Louise 1
Lousia 1
Lucy 1
Maud 1
Minnie 1
Myra 1
Nelley 1
Rosanna 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 14
William 11
George 10
Thomas 6
Thos. 5
Arthur 4
Joseph 4
Alfred 3
Herbert 3
Isaac 3
James 3
Albert 1
Archibald 1
Charles 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Jabez 1
Jno.Plant 1
Joshua 1
Laurence 1
Luk 1
Mathew 1
Richard 1
Robert 1

FAQ

Halden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Halden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 270 people were recorded with the Halden surname. That placed it at #10,484 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Halden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 262 in 2016. That gives Halden a modern rank of #16,256.

What does the Halden surname mean?

A place name referring to someone from Halden, a town in Norway.

What does the Halden map show?

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