NameCensus.

UK surname

Harbor

An English surname derived from a place name referring to a sheltered port or harbor.

In the 1881 census there were 135 people recorded with the Harbor surname, ranking it #16,515 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 117, ranked #28,033, down from #16,515 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newchurch, London parishes and Portsmouth, Portsea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Reading, Mansfield and Mid Sussex.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harbor is 142 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 13.3%.

1881 census count

135

Ranked #16,515

Modern count

117

2016, ranked #28,033

Peak year

1911

142 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harbor had 135 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,515 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016, ranked #28,033.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 142 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Harbor surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harbor surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harbor 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 72 #20,720
1861 historical 85 #22,922
1881 historical 135 #16,515
1891 historical 111 #22,421
1901 historical 132 #19,469
1911 historical 142 #18,487
1997 modern 141 #21,941
1998 modern 141 #22,517
1999 modern 136 #23,186
2000 modern 128 #24,015
2001 modern 120 #24,615
2002 modern 112 #26,165
2003 modern 116 #25,415
2004 modern 112 #26,159
2005 modern 106 #27,044
2006 modern 101 #28,125
2007 modern 104 #28,020
2008 modern 104 #28,341
2009 modern 114 #27,363
2010 modern 124 #26,582
2011 modern 124 #26,367
2012 modern 113 #28,016
2013 modern 112 #28,675
2014 modern 115 #28,439
2015 modern 115 #28,319
2016 modern 117 #28,033

Geography

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Where Harbors are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newchurch, London parishes, Portsmouth, Portsea, Carisbrooke, St Nicholas-in-the-Castle, Gatcombe and Reading St Giles, Shinfield (East and West Side, Hartley Dammer), Sonning (Early),. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Reading, Mansfield, Mid Sussex, Carmarthenshire and Westminster. 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 Newchurch Hampshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
4 Carisbrooke, St Nicholas-in-the-Castle, Gatcombe Hampshire
5 Reading St Giles, Shinfield (East and West Side, Hartley Dammer), Sonning (Early), Berkshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Reading 015 Reading
2 Mansfield 013 Mansfield
3 Mid Sussex 003 Mid Sussex
4 Carmarthenshire 012 Carmarthenshire
5 Westminster 024 Westminster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harbor

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harbor

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

Baseline UK

Group

Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Single-person households are common in these neighbourhoods, and these residents are typically divorced rather than never married. A high proportion of residents were born outside the UK in the EU. There are many young adults, some with young children, but relatively few residents are of normal retirement age or over. Although levels of identification with ethnic minorities are in line with the Supergroup average, individuals identifying with Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is more common than average. High long-term disability rates are observed, and unpaid care is more common than in the rest of the Group. The predominant housing types are terraced houses and flats, which are typically part of the social rented sector. This Group is commonly found in coastal areas and (present-day or former) industrial towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Harbor is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Harbor is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Harbor 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 Harbor 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 Harbor, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Harbor

The surname Harbor has its origins in England, tracing back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "hæreborgian," which means "to shelter" or "to harbor." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a safe haven or harbor, or perhaps worked as a harborer or innkeeper.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Harbor can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a Richard de Harbur is listed. This suggests that the name existed in various spellings during the medieval period.

In the 13th century, the surname Harbor appeared in the Curia Regis Rolls of Oxfordshire, where a John de la Herbur is mentioned in 1207. This variation in spelling was common during that time, as standardized spellings were not yet established.

The name Harbor can also be traced back to places like Harborough in Leicestershire and Harberton in Devonshire, suggesting that some individuals may have taken their surnames from the names of these locations.

Notable individuals with the surname Harbor include: 1. Richard Harbor (c. 1490-1555), an English politician who served as Sheriff of London in 1546. 2. John Harbor (c. 1530-1594), an English clergyman and writer who authored several religious works. 3. William Harbor (c. 1570-1634), an English merchant and explorer who was involved in early colonial expeditions to North America. 4. Elizabeth Harbor (c. 1585-1658), an English Puritan and one of the founders of the town of New Haven, Connecticut. 5. Thomas Harbor (c. 1620-1677), an English soldier and landowner who fought in the English Civil War.

These examples demonstrate the presence of the surname Harbor throughout various periods of English history, from the medieval era to the 17th century. While the name's origins can be traced back to Old English, it has persisted over the centuries and become associated with notable individuals from various walks of life.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Harbor families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harbor 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. Middlesex leads with 33 Harbors recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.51x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 33 2.51x
Surrey 30 4.68x
Hampshire 18 6.67x
Berkshire 10 10.12x
Kent 10 2.23x
Lancashire 7 0.45x
Nottinghamshire 7 3.94x
Huntingdonshire 5 19.13x
Worcestershire 4 2.33x
Buckinghamshire 2 2.51x
Essex 2 0.77x
Hertfordshire 2 2.20x
Dorset 1 1.16x
Herefordshire 1 1.85x
Oxfordshire 1 1.23x
Staffordshire 1 0.23x
Yorkshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Twickenham in Middlesex leads with 17 Harbors recorded in 1881 and an index of 300.89x.

Place Total Index
Twickenham 17 300.89x
Banstead 12 689.66x
Battersea 8 16.51x
Bow London 8 47.73x
Binsted 7 679.61x
Clarborough 7 526.32x
Greenwich 7 33.40x
Wrightington 7 1029.41x
Carisbrooke 6 160.00x
Reading St Mary 5 63.13x
Rotherhithe 5 30.73x
Ramsey 4 191.39x
Reading St Giles 4 41.24x
St Luke London 4 18.94x
Stoke 4 132.01x
Worcester St Martin 3 129.31x
Eton 2 111.11x
Hertford St John 2 148.15x
Islington London 2 1.57x
Newport 2 136.99x
Abingdon St Nicholas 1 370.37x
Bobbington 1 555.56x
Christ Church Newgate 1 163.93x
Colchester St Botolph 1 45.25x
Elton 1 270.27x
Evesham All Sts 1 125.00x
Farlington 1 181.82x
Herne 1 50.25x
Holdenhurst 1 14.12x
Kingston On Thames 1 6.49x
Linton 1 256.41x
Ocle Pitchard 1 769.23x
Portland 1 21.51x
Portsea 1 1.89x
St Martin Pomroy London 1 3333.33x
Thorpe Salvin 1 625.00x
Walthamstow 1 10.70x
Witney 1 73.53x
Woolwich 1 6.02x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Annie 5
Harriett 4
Alice 3
Ann 3
Charlotte 3
Elizabeth 3
Clara 2
Eliza 2
Emma 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Sarah 2
Agnes 1
Albertina 1
Amelia 1
Anne 1
Caroline 1
Edith 1
Eliz. 1
Ellen 1
Ellenor 1
Ellin 1
Emily 1
Fanny 1
Harriet 1
Jessie 1
Katherine 1
Linda 1
Louise 1
Lucey 1
Lucy 1
Macey 1
Margaret 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Pleasent 1
Sophia 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 10
James 7
Charles 6
Thomas 6
William 5
Edward 4
Frederick 3
Henry 3
Arthur 2
George 2
Robert 2
Walter 2
Alfred 1
Eli 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Harry 1
Josiah 1
Josuah 1
Leonard 1
Noah 1
Saml. 1
Stephen 1

FAQ

Harbor surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harbor surname in 1881?

In 1881, 135 people were recorded with the Harbor surname. That placed it at #16,515 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harbor surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016. That gives Harbor a modern rank of #28,033.

What does the Harbor surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name referring to a sheltered port or harbor.

What does the Harbor map show?

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