NameCensus.

UK surname

Hard

An English occupational surname referring to a person who works with strong, solid materials or performs arduous tasks.

In the 1881 census there were 553 people recorded with the Hard surname, ranking it #6,244 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 425, ranked #11,300, down from #6,244 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Exbourne and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Hams, Teignbridge and Central Bedfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hard is 2,160 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 23.1%.

1881 census count

553

Ranked #6,244

Modern count

425

2016, ranked #11,300

Peak year

1861

2,160 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hard had 553 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,244 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 425 in 2016, ranked #11,300.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,160 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Hard surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hard surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hard 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 633 #4,103
1861 historical 2,160 #1,353
1881 historical 553 #6,244
1891 historical 1,236 #3,495
1901 historical 626 #6,839
1911 historical 681 #6,206
1997 modern 436 #10,327
1998 modern 396 #11,435
1999 modern 388 #11,696
2000 modern 373 #11,996
2001 modern 359 #12,153
2002 modern 367 #12,198
2003 modern 355 #12,285
2004 modern 345 #12,571
2005 modern 341 #12,605
2006 modern 342 #12,652
2007 modern 352 #12,546
2008 modern 347 #12,786
2009 modern 372 #12,383
2010 modern 383 #12,394
2011 modern 375 #12,438
2012 modern 386 #12,037
2013 modern 400 #11,915
2014 modern 409 #11,808
2015 modern 413 #11,622
2016 modern 425 #11,300

Geography

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Where Hards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Exbourne, Lambeth, Birmingham Town: Birmingham and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Hams, Teignbridge, Central Bedfordshire and Plymouth. 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 Exbourne Devon
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Hams 002 South Hams
2 South Hams 003 South Hams
3 Teignbridge 012 Teignbridge
4 Central Bedfordshire 011 Central Bedfordshire
5 Plymouth 019 Plymouth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hard

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hard

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Hard is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hard 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

Hard falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hard

The surname HARD is of Anglo-Saxon origin and dates back to the early medieval period in England. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English word "hær" or "har", meaning "hare" or "hardy", suggesting that the name was originally a nickname for someone with a hardy or brave disposition, or perhaps someone who was known for hunting hares.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name HARD can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Hardus" and is listed as a tenant in the county of Lincolnshire.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname HARD began to appear more frequently in various records and documents across England. Examples include Walter Hard, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275, and John Hard, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379.

The HARD surname has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Hardwick and Hardingstone, which may have contributed to the name's development and spread.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the surname HARD, including:

1. Thomas Hard (c. 1510-1570), an English Protestant reformer and Bishop of Winchester during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

2. Ralph Hard (1625-1693), an English soldier and member of parliament during the English Civil War.

3. Anne Hard (1677-1748), an English poet and playwright known for her work "The Captive Bride".

4. Sir John Hard (1742-1817), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

5. William Hard (1763-1832), an English landscape painter known for his depictions of rural scenes in Berkshire and Oxfordshire.

The HARD surname has also been found in various parts of Europe, particularly in Germany and the Netherlands, where it may have derived from similar Germanic roots or through migration and intermarriage with English families bearing the name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hard families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hard 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 110 Hards recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.07x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 110 2.07x
Sussex 69 7.71x
Devon 47 4.25x
Lancashire 47 0.75x
Yorkshire 36 0.68x
Cambridgeshire 35 10.41x
Surrey 30 1.16x
Hampshire 22 2.02x
Kent 20 1.10x
Huntingdonshire 18 17.08x
Suffolk 18 2.78x
Northumberland 10 1.27x
Essex 9 0.86x
Somerset 9 1.05x
Gloucestershire 8 0.77x
Lanarkshire 7 0.41x
Buckinghamshire 6 1.87x
Derbyshire 5 0.60x
Durham 5 0.32x
Lincolnshire 5 0.59x
Monmouthshire 5 1.30x
Staffordshire 4 0.22x
Glamorgan 3 0.32x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.42x
Warwickshire 3 0.22x
Hertfordshire 2 0.55x
Norfolk 2 0.25x
Cheshire 1 0.09x
Cornwall 1 0.17x
Dorset 1 0.29x
Fife 1 0.32x
Leicestershire 1 0.17x
Westmorland 1 0.86x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. South Brent in Devon leads with 25 Hards recorded in 1881 and an index of 1054.85x.

Place Total Index
South Brent 25 1054.85x
Bluntisham 14 710.66x
St Marylebone London 13 4.59x
Hackney London 12 4.03x
Lambeth 12 2.59x
Pulborough 12 365.85x
Breightmet 11 397.11x
Hadleigh 11 175.44x
Hornsey 11 16.39x
Bradford 10 7.86x
Christchurch 10 42.39x
Haddenham 10 316.46x
Hillingdon 10 59.10x
Burniston 9 1406.25x
Islington London 9 1.75x
Over 9 450.00x
Wisborough Green 9 299.00x
Accrington 8 13.97x
Findon 8 620.16x
Canterbury St Gregory 7 292.89x
Dover St Mary Virgin 7 39.95x
Newcastle On Tyne St 7 17.10x
Portsea 7 3.28x
Ugborough 7 262.17x
Beccles 6 57.69x
Downham 6 168.07x
East Dean 6 967.74x
Hesketh Cum Becconsall 6 382.17x
Leyton 6 33.26x
Paddington London 6 3.08x
St Andrewthe Less 6 15.63x
West Chiltington 6 517.24x
Barony 5 1.15x
Bathwick 5 52.91x
Great Little Marsden 5 17.33x
Horfield 5 47.76x
Livesey 5 45.25x
Newport 5 27.32x
Plymouth Charles The 5 10.28x
Southwark Christchurch 5 20.10x
St Andrew Holborn 5 27.79x
St Luke London 5 5.87x
Acton 4 12.86x
Clist Hydon 4 800.00x
Eton 4 55.02x
Fulham London 4 5.20x
Hampton London 4 45.87x
St Swithin Lincoln 4 29.99x
Stopham 4 1428.57x
Walsall Foreign 4 4.32x
Warblington 4 92.81x
Westminster St James 4 7.33x
Brighton 3 1.66x
Broadwater 3 14.62x
Camberwell 3 0.89x
Hammersmith London 3 2.30x
Hastings St Leonards 3 22.81x
Hoveringham 3 500.00x
Huddersfield 3 3.92x
Kirkdale 3 2.83x
Lancing 3 121.95x
Linthorpe 3 9.56x
Monkwearmouth Shore 3 9.73x
Petworth 3 56.18x
St Ives 3 54.95x
St Pancras London 3 0.70x
Westminster St Margaret 3 11.72x
Weston 3 45.66x
Wigan 3 3.41x
Ynysawdre 3 201.34x
Allerton Bywater 2 70.18x
Aston 2 0.54x
Derby St Peter 2 7.56x
Glasgow 2 0.66x
Kensington London 2 0.68x
Newington 2 1.02x
Scarborough 2 4.19x
Sproxton 2 666.67x
St Dunstan In West London 2 121.21x
Washington 2 130.72x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 34
Elizabeth 21
Ann 18
Sarah 17
Annie 12
Jane 10
Eliza 9
Ellen 9
Emily 7
Alice 6
Edith 6
Emma 6
Martha 6
Florence 5
Louisa 5
Ada 4
Charlotte 4
Harriet 4
Mabel 4
Minnie 4
Rose 4
Anne 3
Catherine 3
Hannah 3
Helen 3
Susan 3
Susannah 3
Clara 2
Ethel 2
Fanny 2
Henrietta 2
Kate 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
Margt. 2
Maria 2
Naomi 2
Rebecca 2
Amelia 1
Anes 1
Betsy 1
Bridget 1
Caroline 1
Elsie 1
Esther 1
Jannita 1
Jessie 1
Josephine 1
Kathleen 1
Sussanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 42
George 26
James 22
John 19
Henry 11
Richard 11
Charles 10
Thomas 9
Robert 7
Frederick 5
Thos. 5
Alfred 4
Joseph 4
Samuel 4
Walter 4
Arthur 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Jasper 3
Benjamin 2
Earnest 2
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Frank 2
Jas. 2
Michael 2
Wm. 2
Ambrose 1
Archibald 1
Bertie 1
Buckley 1
Craven 1
David 1
Eli 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredrick 1
Garner 1
Harold 1
Jos. 1
Laurence 1
Laycock 1
Leonard 1
Lewis 1
Maurice 1
Moses 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
Philip 1

FAQ

Hard surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hard surname in 1881?

In 1881, 553 people were recorded with the Hard surname. That placed it at #6,244 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hard surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 425 in 2016. That gives Hard a modern rank of #11,300.

What does the Hard surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a person who works with strong, solid materials or performs arduous tasks.

What does the Hard map show?

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