NameCensus.

UK surname

Hardaker

Of English origin, derived from dwellers at a hard acre of land.

In the 1881 census there were 1,039 people recorded with the Hardaker surname, ranking it #3,777 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,278, ranked #4,681, down from #3,777 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Leeds, Calverley and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Craven, Bradford and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hardaker is 1,327 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.0%.

1881 census count

1,039

Ranked #3,777

Modern count

1,278

2016, ranked #4,681

Peak year

2010

1,327 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hardaker had 1,039 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,777 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,278 in 2016, ranked #4,681.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,291 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Hardaker surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hardaker surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hardaker 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 656 #3,955
1861 historical 796 #3,455
1881 historical 1,039 #3,777
1891 historical 1,062 #3,954
1901 historical 1,157 #4,217
1911 historical 1,291 #3,691
1997 modern 1,289 #4,421
1998 modern 1,273 #4,658
1999 modern 1,299 #4,604
2000 modern 1,317 #4,514
2001 modern 1,293 #4,505
2002 modern 1,300 #4,571
2003 modern 1,264 #4,597
2004 modern 1,256 #4,623
2005 modern 1,264 #4,546
2006 modern 1,258 #4,572
2007 modern 1,261 #4,609
2008 modern 1,278 #4,577
2009 modern 1,287 #4,648
2010 modern 1,327 #4,611
2011 modern 1,301 #4,637
2012 modern 1,287 #4,614
2013 modern 1,299 #4,660
2014 modern 1,287 #4,723
2015 modern 1,282 #4,693
2016 modern 1,278 #4,681

Geography

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Where Hardakers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Leeds, Calverley, Bradford and Guiseley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Craven, Bradford and Leeds. 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 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Calverley Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Guiseley Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Craven 008 Craven
2 Bradford 061 Bradford
3 Bradford 026 Bradford
4 Leeds 039 Leeds
5 Bradford 059 Bradford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hardaker

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hardaker

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hardaker, 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 Hardaker surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hardaker 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Hardaker 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

Hardaker is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hardaker falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hardaker is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Hardaker, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hardaker

The surname Hardaker is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from the place name Hardacre or Hordaker, which were old spellings of the village of Hardaker near Bradford, West Yorkshire.

The name Hardaker is composed of two Old English elements: 'heard' meaning hard or solid, and 'acre' referring to a cultivated field or plot of land. Thus, the name Hardaker would have initially denoted someone who lived near or worked on a hard or stony field or plot of land.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Hardaker can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, which mentions a John Hardaker from the village of the same name. The Hardaker family is also mentioned in the Inquisitions Post Mortem for Yorkshire in the late 15th century.

In the 16th century, the surname Hardaker appears in various church records and parish registers throughout Yorkshire, indicating the family's presence in the region. Notable examples include William Hardaker, who was christened in Calverley, Yorkshire, in 1567, and John Hardaker, who was married in Bradford in 1593.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Hardaker surname was Richard Hardaker, who was born around 1590 in Yorkshire. His descendants continued to reside in the area, with some members eventually migrating to other parts of England and beyond.

Other notable individuals with the surname Hardaker throughout history include:

1. Robert Hardaker (c. 1635-1689), an English nonconformist minister and author from Yorkshire. 2. Benjamin Hardaker (1739-1815), an English Baptist minister and theologian born in Yorkshire. 3. Joseph Hardaker (1815-1892), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Yorkshire County Cricket Club. 4. Thomas Hardaker (1825-1898), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in Yorkshire. 5. John Hardaker (1901-1969), a British politician and member of Parliament for Huddersfield West from 1950 to 1964.

While the surname Hardaker has its roots in Yorkshire, it has since spread to other parts of the United Kingdom and beyond, with bearers of the name found in various countries around the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hardaker families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hardaker 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. Yorkshire leads with 888 Hardakers recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.88x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 888 8.88x
Lancashire 110 0.92x
Durham 22 0.73x
Cheshire 4 0.18x
Norfolk 3 0.19x
Surrey 3 0.06x
Gloucestershire 2 0.10x
Middlesex 1 0.01x
Shropshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Horton In Bradford in Yorkshire leads with 115 Hardakers recorded in 1881 and an index of 73.68x.

Place Total Index
Horton In Bradford 115 73.68x
Idle 73 157.53x
Yeadon 51 225.96x
Leeds 49 8.68x
Eccleshill 45 185.03x
Bradford 37 15.29x
Manningham 35 28.43x
Rawdon 33 280.37x
Bingley 28 43.99x
Baildon 27 143.46x
Newchurch 27 27.58x
Bramley In Bramley 24 62.73x
Guiseley 24 187.50x
Wortley In Bramley 24 30.32x
Hunslet 20 12.83x
Haworth 17 71.55x
Holbeck 15 22.65x
Horsforth 15 68.46x
Armley 14 31.76x
Skipton 13 41.34x
Allerton 12 94.19x
Headingley Cum Burley 12 18.65x
Stansfield 12 32.63x
Darlington 11 9.49x
Hawksworth 11 1486.49x
North Bierley 11 20.39x
Pudsey 11 20.59x
Ackworth 10 130.21x
Calverley Cum Farsley 10 35.24x
Shipley 10 19.28x
East Ardsley 9 103.93x
Holy Trinity St Mary 9 59.13x
Kirkdale 9 4.47x
Manchester 9 1.67x
Keighley 8 7.51x
Wilsden 8 77.97x
Everton 7 1.84x
Heaton 7 65.18x
Stretford 7 10.63x
Sutton In Keighley 7 123.67x
Broughton In Salford 6 5.48x
Burnley 6 5.95x
Ilkley 6 36.74x
Lancaster 6 8.43x
Morton In Keighley 6 76.43x
York St Maurice 6 31.88x
Colne 5 14.02x
Gateshead 5 2.23x
Hunderthwaite 5 510.20x
Oldham 5 1.29x
Otley 5 20.60x
West Derby 5 1.43x
Bowling 4 4.04x
Clayton 4 16.35x
Long Newton 4 400.00x
Menston 4 174.67x
Ovenden 4 8.99x
Westhoughton 4 12.52x
Yafforth 4 615.38x
Cartworth 3 36.28x
Fearby 3 389.61x
Gomersal 3 6.43x
Heckmondwike 3 9.33x
Holy Trinity 3 1.25x
Millington 3 326.09x
Minskip 3 394.74x
Norwich St Paul 3 32.33x
Penge 3 4.66x
Toxteth Park 3 0.74x
Warrington 3 2.11x
Altofts 2 18.13x
Long Preston 2 81.97x
North Meols 2 1.71x
Salford 2 0.57x
Tidenham 2 65.36x
York St Mary 2 4.83x
Allerton Bywater 1 18.48x
Grassington 1 46.51x
St Luke London 1 0.62x
York St Nicholas In 1 17.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 83
James 44
William 42
Joseph 31
Thomas 31
George 21
Robert 18
Fred 14
Charles 9
Henry 9
Richard 9
Samuel 9
Alfred 8
Benjamin 8
Joshua 8
Edwin 7
Herbert 6
Walter 6
Albert 5
Arthur 5
Edward 5
Frank 5
Harry 5
Frederick 4
Mark 4
Richd. 4
Abraham 3
Geo. 3
Jonas 3
Seth 3
Thos. 3
Tom 3
Wm. 3
Benjm. 2
Eli 2
Francis 2
Jas. 2
Jonathan 2
Lancelot 2
Marshall 2
Percy 2
Ralph 2
Sam 2
Smith 2
Stephen 2
Benjo. 1
Briggs 1
Edmund 1
Ellis 1
Ernest 1

FAQ

Hardaker surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hardaker surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,039 people were recorded with the Hardaker surname. That placed it at #3,777 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hardaker surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,278 in 2016. That gives Hardaker a modern rank of #4,681.

What does the Hardaker surname mean?

Of English origin, derived from dwellers at a hard acre of land.

What does the Hardaker map show?

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