NameCensus.

UK surname

Harcourt

A territorial surname derived from the town of Harcourt in Normandy, France.

In the 1881 census there were 658 people recorded with the Harcourt surname, ranking it #5,453 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 810, ranked #6,839, down from #5,453 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Silton, Gillingham (Bourton ) and Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan, Stockton-on-Tees and Norwich.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harcourt is 919 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.1%.

1881 census count

658

Ranked #5,453

Modern count

810

2016, ranked #6,839

Peak year

1911

919 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harcourt had 658 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,453 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 810 in 2016, ranked #6,839.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 919 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Harcourt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harcourt surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harcourt 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 404 #5,991
1861 historical 367 #6,963
1881 historical 658 #5,453
1891 historical 749 #5,317
1901 historical 832 #5,451
1911 historical 919 #4,873
1997 modern 841 #6,295
1998 modern 862 #6,364
1999 modern 848 #6,498
2000 modern 846 #6,486
2001 modern 841 #6,395
2002 modern 867 #6,372
2003 modern 871 #6,227
2004 modern 864 #6,277
2005 modern 836 #6,377
2006 modern 830 #6,426
2007 modern 828 #6,505
2008 modern 825 #6,572
2009 modern 842 #6,610
2010 modern 851 #6,683
2011 modern 838 #6,685
2012 modern 809 #6,773
2013 modern 824 #6,777
2014 modern 819 #6,844
2015 modern 816 #6,821
2016 modern 810 #6,839

Geography

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Where Harcourts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Silton, Gillingham (Bourton ), Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John and Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan, Stockton-on-Tees, Norwich and Leicester. 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 1
2 Silton, Gillingham (Bourton ) Wiltshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk
5 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 016 Wigan
2 Stockton-on-Tees 014 Stockton-on-Tees
3 Norwich 001 Norwich
4 Leicester 026 Leicester
5 Stockton-on-Tees 012 Stockton-on-Tees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harcourt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harcourt

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Harcourt surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Harcourt household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Harcourt is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Harcourt is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Harcourt falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Harcourt

The surname Harcourt originated in Normandy, France during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French words "harou" meaning "army" and "court" meaning "short", indicating the name may have been initially bestowed upon a short soldier or member of the military.

The name is believed to have first appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086, a manuscript record of landowners in England under William the Conqueror. This suggests that the Harcourt family likely accompanied William during the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Robert de Harcourt, who lived in the 11th century and held lands in Normandy and England. His descendants continued to use the Harcourt name and played prominent roles in English and French history.

In the 13th century, Sir Godfrey de Harcourt was a notable member of the family, serving as a loyal supporter of King Henry III of England. He was involved in several military campaigns and was later granted lands in Oxfordshire.

During the 14th century, John Harcourt served as the Bishop of Bath and Wells from 1367 to 1386. He was an influential figure in the Church and played a role in the political affairs of the time.

One of the most famous individuals with the Harcourt surname was William Harcourt, born in 1743 and died in 1830. He was a British nobleman and politician who served as the Chancellor of the Exchequer and leader of the Liberal Party in the late 19th century.

Another notable Harcourt was Sir William Harcourt-Vernon, born in 1789 and died in 1871. He was a British diplomat and politician who served as the British Ambassador to Spain and later as a member of the House of Commons.

The Harcourt name has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Harcourt in Oxfordshire and Harcourt Hill in Cambridgeshire, reflecting the family's historical presence and landholdings in these areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Harcourt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harcourt 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 136 Harcourts recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.11x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 136 2.11x
Warwickshire 79 4.87x
Norfolk 56 5.66x
Worcestershire 47 5.59x
Surrey 41 1.31x
Lancashire 33 0.43x
Dorset 29 6.86x
Yorkshire 29 0.45x
Hampshire 21 1.59x
Staffordshire 21 0.97x
Essex 19 1.50x
Wiltshire 15 2.63x
Buckinghamshire 14 3.60x
Cheshire 13 0.91x
Somerset 11 1.06x
Kent 9 0.41x
Derbyshire 8 0.79x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.92x
Oxfordshire 8 2.01x
Gloucestershire 7 0.55x
Sussex 7 0.64x
Durham 6 0.31x
Lanarkshire 6 0.29x
Dunbartonshire 5 2.89x
Suffolk 5 0.64x
Berkshire 4 0.83x
Huntingdonshire 4 3.13x
Monmouthshire 4 0.86x
Glamorgan 3 0.27x
Devon 2 0.15x
Hertfordshire 2 0.45x
Renfrewshire 2 0.40x
Shropshire 2 0.36x
Angus 1 0.17x
Bedfordshire 1 0.30x
Lincolnshire 1 0.10x
Westmorland 1 0.71x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 46 Harcourts recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.50x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 46 8.50x
Heigham 27 50.82x
Islington London 25 4.01x
Shoreditch London 18 6.45x
Bourton 17 918.92x
Dudley 15 14.68x
Kensington London 15 4.19x
Mere 15 231.84x
Catherington 14 481.10x
The Hill 13 240.74x
Aston 11 2.46x
Bermondsey 11 5.74x
Paddington London 11 4.65x
St Marylebone London 11 3.20x
Bethnal Green London 10 3.58x
Battersea 9 3.80x
Chingford 9 293.16x
St Pancras London 9 1.74x
Cowley 8 64.46x
Dukinfield 8 12.18x
Glaisdale 8 329.22x
Handsworth 8 14.94x
Hunslet 8 8.04x
Kings Norton 8 10.61x
Lambeth 8 1.43x
Liverpool 8 1.72x
Nottingham St Mary 8 3.56x
Rowley Regis 8 13.21x
Sherington 8 601.50x
Sutton Coldfield 7 41.01x
Edgbaston 6 11.92x
Egglescliffe 6 416.67x
Hampstead London 6 5.98x
Silton 6 1090.91x
West Ham 6 2.14x
Dumbarton 5 20.76x
Eltham 5 38.85x
Keighley 5 7.35x
Newport Pagnell 5 61.43x
Pensford St Thomas 5 862.07x
St George Hanover Square 5 4.41x
Wimborne Minster 5 73.21x
Altrincham 4 16.11x
Brighton 4 1.83x
Chelsea London 4 2.06x
Everton 4 1.64x
Exhall 4 162.60x
Godmanchester 4 82.64x
Hulme 4 2.51x
Ilkeston 4 14.15x
Kidderminster Borough 4 8.13x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 4 13.46x
Norwich St Andrew 4 236.69x
Norwich St John Timberhill 4 150.38x
Norwich St Margaret 4 259.74x
Penselwood 4 430.11x
St Woollos 4 7.70x
Toxteth Park 4 1.55x
Urmston 4 80.65x
Westbury On Trym 4 9.35x
Bury St Edmunds St James 3 14.33x
Colwinstone 3 638.30x
Glossop Dale 3 6.36x
Govan 3 0.58x
Newington 3 1.26x
Portsmouth 3 9.87x
Rochester St Nicholas 3 43.92x
Sunninghill 3 44.78x
Wanstead 3 13.48x
Yardley 3 13.95x
Aldridge 2 47.85x
Alverstoke 2 4.19x
Cheetham 2 3.51x
Cheltenham 2 2.05x
Hastings Holy Trinity 2 25.00x
Lakenham 2 14.22x
Norwich St Saviour 2 57.64x
Poplar London 2 1.65x
Port Glasgow 2 8.29x
Whitwell On The Hill 2 444.44x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 29
William 26
Thomas 17
Charles 16
George 16
James 14
Joseph 12
Alfred 11
Henry 11
Robert 10
Arthur 8
Frederick 7
Edward 5
Walter 5
Ernest 4
Fred 4
Herbert 4
Samuel 4
Albert 3
Harry 3
Richard 3
Vernon 3
Wm. 3
Francis 2
Frederic 2
Geo. 2
Harold 2
Isaac 2
Leveson 2
Michael 2
Percy 2
Philip 2
Phillip 2
Alfd. 1
Anthony 1
Archibald 1
Austin 1
Benjm. 1
Bernard 1
Bosworth 1
Briteman 1
Earnest 1
Edwin 1
Egerton 1
Enos 1
Esther 1
Ezekiel 1
Jabis 1
Jonathan 1
Wm.L. 1

FAQ

Harcourt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harcourt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 658 people were recorded with the Harcourt surname. That placed it at #5,453 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harcourt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 810 in 2016. That gives Harcourt a modern rank of #6,839.

What does the Harcourt surname mean?

A territorial surname derived from the town of Harcourt in Normandy, France.

What does the Harcourt map show?

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