NameCensus.

UK surname

Harbottle

A locational surname derived from a place in Northumberland, England.

In the 1881 census there were 579 people recorded with the Harbottle surname, ranking it #6,018 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 705, ranked #7,661, down from #6,018 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Gateshead and Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hambleton, Gateshead and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harbottle is 814 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.8%.

1881 census count

579

Ranked #6,018

Modern count

705

2016, ranked #7,661

Peak year

1999

814 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harbottle had 579 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,018 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 705 in 2016, ranked #7,661.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 783 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Harbottle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harbottle surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harbottle 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 348 #6,765
1861 historical 387 #6,620
1881 historical 579 #6,018
1891 historical 670 #5,814
1901 historical 754 #5,918
1911 historical 783 #5,559
1997 modern 775 #6,709
1998 modern 810 #6,689
1999 modern 814 #6,700
2000 modern 802 #6,757
2001 modern 792 #6,692
2002 modern 798 #6,786
2003 modern 751 #7,010
2004 modern 749 #7,028
2005 modern 746 #6,997
2006 modern 747 #7,006
2007 modern 743 #7,107
2008 modern 745 #7,139
2009 modern 763 #7,158
2010 modern 772 #7,221
2011 modern 760 #7,230
2012 modern 727 #7,407
2013 modern 746 #7,380
2014 modern 746 #7,410
2015 modern 733 #7,455
2016 modern 705 #7,661

Geography

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Where Harbottles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Gateshead, Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon), Morpeth and St Andrew. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hambleton, Gateshead, Northumberland and County Durham. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) Northumberland
4 Morpeth Northumberland
5 St Andrew Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hambleton 001 Hambleton
2 Gateshead 002 Gateshead
3 Northumberland 035 Northumberland
4 County Durham 059 County Durham
5 Northumberland 031 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harbottle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harbottle

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Harbottle surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Harbottle household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Harbottle is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Harbottle is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Harbottle falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Harbottle

The surname Harbottle has its origins in England, specifically in the northern county of Northumberland. It is derived from the name of the village of Harbottle, located in the Cheviot Hills region of Northumberland. The name Harbottle itself is thought to come from the Old English words "hara" meaning "hare" and "botl" meaning "dwelling" or "building", suggesting that the name may have referred to a place where hares were plentiful.

The earliest known record of the surname Harbottle dates back to the 12th century, when it appeared in the Pipe Rolls of Northumberland in 1195. The Pipe Rolls were a series of financial records maintained by the English Exchequer, and the presence of the name Harbottle in these rolls suggests that individuals bearing this surname were already well-established in the region at that time.

In the 13th century, the surname Harbottle appears in the Assize Rolls of Northumberland, which were legal records documenting court proceedings and land disputes. This further solidifies the association of the Harbottle family with the Northumberland area during the medieval period.

One notable bearer of the Harbottle surname was Sir John Harbottle, who lived in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. He was a respected landowner and knight who served as the Sheriff of Northumberland in 1399 and 1403. Sir John Harbottle played a significant role in the ongoing conflicts between England and Scotland during his lifetime.

Another prominent figure was Gustavus Harbottle (1592-1673), an English merchant and politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Thetford, Norfolk, in the 17th century. He was actively involved in the English Civil War, supporting the Parliamentarian cause against King Charles I.

In the 18th century, John Harbottle (1715-1799) was a notable English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Pembroke College, Oxford, from 1768 until his death. He was also the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 1778 to 1779.

The Harbottle surname has also been associated with several place names in Northumberland, such as Harbottle Castle, a 12th-century fortification located near the village of Harbottle. The castle played a significant role in the border conflicts between England and Scotland throughout the Middle Ages.

While the Harbottle surname has its roots in northern England, it has since spread to other parts of the United Kingdom and beyond, with bearers of this name found in various parts of the world today. However, its origins can be traced back to the village of Harbottle and the surrounding Cheviot Hills region of Northumberland, where the name first emerged centuries ago.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Harbottle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harbottle 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. Northumberland leads with 232 Harbottles recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.47x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 232 27.47x
Durham 170 10.07x
Yorkshire 72 1.28x
Lancashire 25 0.37x
Middlesex 23 0.41x
Glamorgan 12 1.21x
Devon 9 0.76x
Monmouthshire 9 2.19x
Sussex 8 0.84x
Roxburghshire 7 6.81x
Kent 4 0.21x
Perthshire 3 1.18x
Surrey 3 0.11x
Cumberland 2 0.41x
Derbyshire 1 0.11x
Hampshire 1 0.09x
Royal Navy 1 1.48x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Whickham in Durham leads with 36 Harbottles recorded in 1881 and an index of 231.66x.

Place Total Index
Whickham 36 231.66x
Cramlington 28 250.90x
Gateshead 22 17.40x
Newcastle On Tyne St 21 47.97x
Cowpen 19 97.69x
Ormesby 19 125.66x
Morpeth 17 171.20x
Stockton On Tees 16 19.65x
Orrell 15 179.00x
Westoe 15 15.67x
Winlaton 15 92.59x
Elswick 13 19.28x
Great Ayton 13 376.81x
Lesbury 12 641.71x
Bishopwearmouth 11 7.59x
East Chevington 10 355.87x
Causey Park 9 5625.00x
Crook Billy Row 9 41.61x
Llanvaches 9 2093.02x
Titlington 9 5625.00x
Tynemouth 9 19.89x
Bedlington 8 28.36x
Darlington 8 12.27x
Murton 8 919.54x
Skelton In Guisbrough 8 52.56x
Togstone 8 1777.78x
Alnwick 7 48.21x
Cardiff St Nicholas 7 1029.41x
Shipton In Great 7 833.33x
Shoreswood 7 1428.57x
Topsham 7 125.45x
Coxlodge 6 93.46x
Heworth 6 18.03x
Seaton Delaval 6 80.86x
Shoreditch London 6 2.44x
Boldon 5 83.06x
Heene 5 303.03x
Lanton 5 3846.15x
Maxton 5 561.80x
Medomsley 5 63.45x
Melmerby In Ripon 5 847.46x
Methley 5 63.13x
Freeholders Quarter 4 1904.76x
Hornsey 4 5.57x
Islington London 4 0.73x
Plumstead 4 6.19x
Toxteth Park 4 1.75x
Westgate 4 7.65x
Amble 3 78.13x
Belford 3 166.67x
Chester Le Street 3 23.13x
Crossgate 3 40.65x
Linthorpe 3 8.94x
Llandaff 3 9.12x
Meigle 3 158.73x
Middlesbrough 3 4.10x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 3 5.95x
North Charlton 3 967.74x
Oldham 3 1.38x
Wolsingham 3 19.49x
Birtley 2 29.03x
Brighton 2 1.04x
Byker 2 4.79x
Caldewgate 2 7.47x
Chelsea London 2 1.17x
Chirton 2 10.46x
Clerkenwell London 2 1.49x
East Budleigh 2 35.91x
Hammersmith London 2 1.43x
Hebron Cockle Park Earsdon 2 285.71x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 2 2.73x
Hetton Le Hole 2 9.35x
Newton By The Sea 2 408.16x
Plawsworth 2 109.29x
Scarborough 2 3.91x
Swansea Town 2 2.47x
Weybridge 2 33.73x
Whitton 2 150.38x
Ryton 1 16.86x
St Luke London 1 1.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 51
Elizabeth 24
Margaret 22
Ann 18
Hannah 14
Jane 14
Sarah 13
Isabella 8
Annie 6
Jessie 6
Anne 5
Catherine 5
Eleanor 4
Ellen 4
Margt. 4
Dorothy 3
Emily 3
Emma 3
Frances 3
Nelly 3
Alice 2
Anna 2
Christiana 2
Edith 2
Elizth. 2
Euphemia 2
Grace 2
Janet 2
Lilian 2
Louisa 2
Lydia 2
Martha 2
Selina 2
Annabella 1
Barbara 1
Beatrice 1
Christina 1
Elenor 1
Elicia 1
Eliz.A.F. 1
Elizebeth 1
Ethel 1
Henriatta 1
Henriettia 1
Isab. 1
Isob.Mary 1
Josephine 1
Lettitia 1
Lidia 1
Wilhelma 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 59
Thomas 34
William 34
George 30
Robert 23
Joseph 15
James 11
Charles 8
Edward 6
Henry 6
Anthony 5
Arthur 4
Moses 3
Ralph 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Andrew 2
David 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Isaac 2
Mark 2
Matthew 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Alexander 1
Alf.Charles 1
Auther 1
Bartholomew 1
Bernard 1
Bertram 1
Douglas 1
Edmund 1
Edwd.J. 1
Edwin 1
Elijah 1
Frank 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Henery 1
Infant 1
Jacob 1
Morgan 1
Percy 1
Richard 1
Robson 1
Robt. 1
Roger 1
Thro. 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Harbottle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harbottle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 579 people were recorded with the Harbottle surname. That placed it at #6,018 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harbottle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 705 in 2016. That gives Harbottle a modern rank of #7,661.

What does the Harbottle surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place in Northumberland, England.

What does the Harbottle map show?

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