UK surname
A locational surname referring to an area of holy or sacred land.
In the 1881 census there were 275 people recorded with the Haliday surname, ranking it #10,330 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 50, ranked #34,889, down from #10,330 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Melrose, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Haliday is 275 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 81.8%.
1881 census count
275
Ranked #10,330
Modern count
50
2016, ranked #34,889
Peak year
1881
275 bearers
Map years
5
1851 to 1901
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Haliday surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Haliday surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 241 | #9,037 |
| 1861 | historical | 229 | #10,660 |
| 1881 | historical | 275 | #10,330 |
| 1891 | historical | 196 | #15,163 |
| 1901 | historical | 183 | #15,996 |
| 1911 | historical | 96 | #23,193 |
| 1997 | modern | 55 | #32,114 |
| 1998 | modern | 51 | #32,816 |
| 1999 | modern | 54 | #32,660 |
| 2000 | modern | 47 | #33,358 |
| 2001 | modern | 44 | #33,490 |
| 2002 | modern | 45 | #33,712 |
| 2003 | modern | 43 | #33,951 |
| 2004 | modern | 45 | #33,957 |
| 2005 | modern | 40 | #34,562 |
| 2006 | modern | 39 | #34,932 |
| 2007 | modern | 44 | #34,760 |
| 2008 | modern | 46 | #34,759 |
| 2009 | modern | 59 | #34,072 |
| 2010 | modern | 58 | #34,346 |
| 2011 | modern | 51 | #34,751 |
| 2012 | modern | 51 | #34,756 |
| 2013 | modern | 51 | #34,834 |
| 2014 | modern | 51 | #34,865 |
| 2015 | modern | 48 | #35,004 |
| 2016 | modern | 50 | #34,889 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Melrose, London parishes, Gateshead, Edinburgh and Penicuik. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Melrose | Roxburgh |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | Gateshead | Durham |
| 4 | Edinburgh | Edinburgh |
| 5 | Penicuik | Edinburgh |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Haliday surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Haliday, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Haliday surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Haliday household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Haliday is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Haliday is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Haliday, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Haliday originated in Scotland during the Middle Ages. It was derived from the Old English words "halig" meaning "holy" and "dæg" meaning "day." The name likely referred to someone who lived near a church or celebrated a particular holy day.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The entry "William de Haliday" appears, indicating the name was in use by the late 13th century.
In the 16th century, the surname was also found in parts of northern England, particularly in the counties of Northumberland and Durham. The Haliday family held lands in these areas, and several members were prominent local figures.
One notable individual was John Haliday (c.1512-1586), a wealthy merchant and alderman in Newcastle upon Tyne. He served as the town's mayor in 1564 and was influential in local politics.
Another early bearer of the name was William Haliday (c.1535-1616), a Scottish clergyman who served as the minister of Anstruther Wester in Fife. He was known for his writings on religious matters and his support for the Presbyterian church.
In the 17th century, the Haliday name appeared in several Scottish records, including the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland and the Commissariot Records of Edinburgh. This suggests the name was well-established in various parts of Scotland by this time.
One of the most famous individuals with the surname was Sir Andrew Haliday (1782-1839), a Scottish writer and antiquary. He was a prolific author and published works on various subjects, including Scottish history, literature, and antiquities.
Another notable figure was Alexander Henry Haliday (1806-1870), a British entomologist and naturalist. He made significant contributions to the study of insects and wrote several important works on the subject, including "An Epitome of the Insect Fauna of British India."
In the 19th century, the Haliday surname also gained recognition in Ireland, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One example is Charles Haliday (1789-1866), an Irish mathematician and astronomer who made important contributions to the field of optics and celestial mechanics.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Haliday surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 63 Halidays recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.42x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire | 63 | 2.42x |
| Lancashire | 21 | 0.67x |
| Surrey | 20 | 1.56x |
| Midlothian | 17 | 4.84x |
| Northumberland | 17 | 4.35x |
| Lanarkshire | 16 | 1.89x |
| Middlesex | 13 | 0.50x |
| Suffolk | 13 | 4.07x |
| Kent | 11 | 1.23x |
| Lincolnshire | 10 | 2.38x |
| Dumfriesshire | 9 | 15.53x |
| Gloucestershire | 9 | 1.75x |
| Ayrshire | 6 | 3.06x |
| Devon | 6 | 1.10x |
| Somerset | 5 | 1.18x |
| Glamorgan | 4 | 0.88x |
| Warwickshire | 4 | 0.60x |
| Durham | 3 | 0.38x |
| Berwickshire | 2 | 6.29x |
| Hampshire | 2 | 0.37x |
| Kirkcudbrightshire | 2 | 5.27x |
| Leicestershire | 2 | 0.69x |
| Nottinghamshire | 2 | 0.57x |
| Sussex | 2 | 0.45x |
| Aberdeenshire | 1 | 0.41x |
| Cumberland | 1 | 0.44x |
| Derbyshire | 1 | 0.24x |
| Dorset | 1 | 0.58x |
| Essex | 1 | 0.19x |
| Norfolk | 1 | 0.25x |
| Peeblesshire | 1 | 8.10x |
| Roxburghshire | 1 | 2.10x |
| West Lothian | 1 | 2.53x |
| Worcestershire | 1 | 0.29x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 12 Halidays recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.17x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Haliday surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 16 |
| Sarah | 11 |
| Elizabeth | 8 |
| Ann | 5 |
| Jane | 5 |
| Emma | 4 |
| Julia | 4 |
| Annie | 3 |
| Margaret | 3 |
| Agnes | 2 |
| Alice | 2 |
| Clara | 2 |
| Edith | 2 |
| Eliza | 2 |
| Ellen | 2 |
| Emily | 2 |
| Frances | 2 |
| Hannah | 2 |
| Maria | 2 |
| Azabah | 1 |
| Carroline | 1 |
| Elizebeth | 1 |
| Ethel | 1 |
| Euphemia | 1 |
| Evelyn | 1 |
| Evyelin | 1 |
| Grace | 1 |
| Helen | 1 |
| Jessie | 1 |
| Kate | 1 |
| Kathleen | 1 |
| Lance | 1 |
| Laura | 1 |
| Lilla | 1 |
| Lilly | 1 |
| Lily | 1 |
| Louisa | 1 |
| Lousa | 1 |
| M.E. | 1 |
| Marion | 1 |
| Mina | 1 |
| Phoebe | 1 |
| Rosa | 1 |
| Rose | 1 |
| Ruth | 1 |
| Salina | 1 |
| Selina | 1 |
| Susannah | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Haliday surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| William | 11 |
| James | 8 |
| John | 8 |
| Robert | 7 |
| Thomas | 7 |
| George | 6 |
| Charles | 5 |
| Joseph | 5 |
| Edward | 4 |
| Francis | 3 |
| Fred | 3 |
| Herbert | 3 |
| Richard | 3 |
| Alfred | 2 |
| Arthur | 2 |
| Henry | 2 |
| Samuel | 2 |
| Albert | 1 |
| Alex | 1 |
| Alexr. | 1 |
| Athhur | 1 |
| Cecil | 1 |
| Christopher | 1 |
| David | 1 |
| Douglas | 1 |
| Edwin | 1 |
| Ernest | 1 |
| Fred. | 1 |
| Jabez | 1 |
| Lewis | 1 |
| Ralph | 1 |
| Richd. | 1 |
| Saml. | 1 |
| Saunders | 1 |
| Sidney | 1 |
| Smith | 1 |
| Walter | 1 |
| Wm. | 1 |
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Haliday households.
FAQ
In 1881, 275 people were recorded with the Haliday surname. That placed it at #10,330 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 50 in 2016. That gives Haliday a modern rank of #34,889.
A locational surname referring to an area of holy or sacred land.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Haliday bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.