NameCensus.

UK surname

Harding

Derived from a place name meaning "hard or strong fortification" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 21,596 people recorded with the Harding surname, ranking it #161 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 28,966, ranked #190, down from #161 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Purbeck, Cheshire East and Bridgend.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harding is 30,719 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.1%.

1881 census count

21,596

Ranked #161

Modern count

28,966

2016, ranked #190

Peak year

1999

30,719 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harding had 21,596 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #161 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 28,966 in 2016, ranked #190.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 29,125 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Harding surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harding surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harding 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 13,454 #176
1861 historical 13,847 #177
1881 historical 21,596 #161
1891 historical 23,145 #158
1901 historical 26,629 #163
1911 historical 29,125 #134
1997 modern 29,282 #184
1998 modern 30,566 #182
1999 modern 30,719 #181
2000 modern 30,435 #183
2001 modern 29,669 #183
2002 modern 30,265 #183
2003 modern 29,361 #183
2004 modern 29,400 #183
2005 modern 28,659 #184
2006 modern 28,497 #185
2007 modern 28,646 #185
2008 modern 28,801 #184
2009 modern 29,340 #185
2010 modern 29,869 #186
2011 modern 29,452 #187
2012 modern 28,883 #186
2013 modern 29,450 #188
2014 modern 29,524 #189
2015 modern 29,123 #190
2016 modern 28,966 #190

Geography

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Where Hardings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Pancras and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Purbeck, Cheshire East, Bridgend and Pembrokeshire. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Purbeck 006 Purbeck
2 Cheshire East 026 Cheshire East
3 Cheshire East 049 Cheshire East
4 Bridgend 014 Bridgend
5 Pembrokeshire 010 Pembrokeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harding

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harding

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Harding is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Harding 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

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

Meaning and origin of Harding

The surname Harding is of Anglo-Saxon origin, originating in England. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "harding," which means hardy or brave. The name was initially given as a nickname to someone who displayed these characteristics.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Harding can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Hardingus." This suggests that the name was already established in England by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name Harding was particularly prevalent in the counties of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. Several place names in these regions, such as Harding's Field and Harding's Farm, likely originated from individuals bearing this surname.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named Walter Harding held the position of Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield from 1235 to 1238. Another prominent individual was Thomas Harding, who served as the Lord Chancellor of England under King Richard III in the late 15th century.

The name Harding also has connections to the English Civil War. One of the most famous bearers of this surname was Sir Henry Harding, a Royalist army officer who fought for King Charles I. He was born in 1604 and died in 1669.

During the 19th century, a distinguished individual named John Harding became known as a renowned cartographer and mapmaker. He was born in 1805 and produced numerous detailed maps of counties and regions across England.

Another notable figure was Stephen Harding, a Cistercian monk who played a significant role in the establishment of the Cistercian Order in the 12th century. He was born around 1060 and is credited with founding the influential Cistercian monastery at Cîteaux in France.

Throughout history, the Harding surname has been associated with various professions, including clergy, military, cartography, and other fields. Its origins can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon period, and it has maintained a presence in England and other parts of the English-speaking world for centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Harding families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harding 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 2,715 Hardings recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.28x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 2,715 1.28x
Surrey 1,919 1.86x
Hampshire 1,279 2.95x
Lancashire 1,277 0.51x
Gloucestershire 1,244 3.00x
Devon 1,061 2.41x
Somerset 1,054 3.10x
Cheshire 887 1.90x
Staffordshire 858 1.20x
Yorkshire 751 0.36x
Kent 696 0.96x
Wiltshire 679 3.63x
Sussex 650 1.82x
Warwickshire 523 0.98x
Glamorgan 482 1.31x
Buckinghamshire 463 3.62x
Essex 425 1.02x
Durham 387 0.62x
Leicestershire 379 1.62x
Worcestershire 312 1.13x
Dorset 278 2.00x
Cumberland 271 1.49x
Berkshire 267 1.68x
Shropshire 250 1.37x
Cambridgeshire 234 1.75x
Monmouthshire 221 1.45x
Hertfordshire 205 1.41x
Northumberland 197 0.63x
Cornwall 193 0.81x
Suffolk 190 0.74x
Northamptonshire 159 0.80x
Oxfordshire 135 1.03x
Bedfordshire 107 0.98x
Derbyshire 104 0.31x
Lincolnshire 89 0.26x
Montgomeryshire 86 1.78x
Nottinghamshire 78 0.27x
Norfolk 74 0.23x
Herefordshire 73 0.84x
Huntingdonshire 54 1.29x
Radnorshire 43 2.52x
Royal Navy 34 1.35x
Channel Islands 33 0.53x
Brecknockshire 30 0.71x
Pembrokeshire 28 0.42x
Midlothian 26 0.09x
Lanarkshire 24 0.04x
Flintshire 21 0.37x
Caernarfonshire 16 0.19x
Carmarthenshire 16 0.18x
Isle of Man 16 0.41x
Denbighshire 15 0.19x
Perthshire 14 0.15x
Rutland 10 0.64x
Renfrewshire 8 0.05x
Westmorland 8 0.17x
Anglesey 6 0.16x
Dumfriesshire 6 0.13x
Wigtownshire 6 0.21x
Angus 3 0.02x
Clackmannanshire 2 0.11x
Argyllshire 1 0.02x
Cardiganshire 1 0.02x
Merionethshire 1 0.03x
Selkirkshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 305 Hardings recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.79x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 305 1.79x
Lambeth 271 1.47x
Camberwell 270 2.00x
Islington London 267 1.30x
Portsea 267 3.14x
Birmingham 210 1.18x
Hackney London 177 1.49x
Aston 174 1.19x
Stoke Upon Trent 163 2.15x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 150 3.84x
Newington 143 1.83x
West Ham 142 1.54x
St Marylebone London 130 1.15x
Battersea 125 1.61x
Shoreditch London 125 1.36x
Bethnal Green London 123 1.34x
Bedminster 119 3.72x
Kensington London 119 1.01x
Warrington 116 3.90x
Croydon 115 2.01x
Mile End Old Town London 112 2.49x
Bristol St George 111 5.79x
Liverpool 110 0.72x
Chelsea London 108 1.70x
Paddington London 100 1.29x
Leicester St Margaret 97 1.70x
Wolstanton 92 4.24x
Greenwich 91 2.70x
Everton 88 1.10x
Brighton 82 1.14x
Clapham 79 2.99x
Clerkenwell London 78 1.56x
Manchester 76 0.67x
Clifton 73 3.48x
Lewisham 72 1.87x
Southampton St Mary 69 2.53x
St George Hanover Square 69 1.85x
Tormoham 68 3.65x
Trowbridge 67 8.11x
Chesham 66 14.01x
Bermondsey 65 1.03x
Macclesfield 65 3.13x
Cheltenham 64 2.00x
Ilfracombe 64 14.13x
Monks Coppenhall 59 3.35x
Hammersmith London 58 1.11x
Titchfield 58 17.76x
Odd Rode 56 24.22x
Leeds 55 0.46x
Tottenham 55 1.63x
Southwark St George Martyr 54 1.27x
Deptford St Paul 52 0.93x
Holy Trinity 52 1.03x
West Derby 52 0.71x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 51 1.87x
Plymouth St Andrew 51 1.50x
Walcot 51 2.81x
Alverstoke 50 3.19x
Burwell 50 31.16x
Stapleton 50 6.36x
St Andrewthe Less 48 3.14x
Bishopwearmouth 47 0.87x
Chorlton On Medlock 47 1.18x
Frome 47 5.77x
Penge 46 3.41x
St Luke London 46 1.36x
Westbury On Trym 46 3.27x
Frensham 45 29.75x
St Woollos 44 2.58x
Wolverhampton 44 0.80x
Cirencester 43 7.66x
Leicester St Mary 43 2.27x
Lyncombe Widcombe 43 4.83x
Merthyr Tydfil 41 1.16x
Salford 41 0.56x
Kingston On Thames 40 1.62x
Toxteth Park 40 0.47x
Ashton Under Lyne 39 0.71x
Burslem 39 1.91x
Kirkdale 39 0.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1,479
Elizabeth 807
Sarah 716
Jane 424
Ann 408
Alice 370
Emma 361
Eliza 346
Annie 341
Ellen 316
Emily 302
Louisa 196
Martha 194
Hannah 186
Charlotte 157
Edith 153
Margaret 144
Harriet 135
Fanny 132
Florence 132
Caroline 129
Ada 128
Maria 128
Kate 112
Catherine 88
Susan 87
Frances 86
Rose 83
Clara 82
Anne 77
Agnes 75
Harriett 69
Lucy 69
Lydia 66
Amelia 64
Jessie 60
Elizth. 59
Isabella 58
Amy 53
Rebecca 49
Gertrude 48
Minnie 48
Julia 42
Laura 42
Esther 40
Matilda 40
Sophia 40
Ethel 38
Grace 38
Henrietta 33

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 1,429
John 1,107
George 801
Thomas 691
James 658
Henry 529
Charles 464
Joseph 327
Richard 235
Edward 230
Alfred 217
Robert 210
Arthur 201
Albert 195
Frederick 188
Samuel 184
Walter 141
Harry 129
Herbert 106
Ernest 104
Edwin 94
Frank 94
Wm. 70
Francis 69
David 67
Benjamin 48
Thos. 47
Daniel 41
Fred 35
Stephen 34
Fredk. 31
Fredrick 31
Isaac 31
Tom 30
Peter 28
Sidney 28
Michael 26
Chas. 24
Geo. 24
Edgar 23
Percy 20
Edmund 19
Philip 19
Jesse 18
Alexander 17
Sydney 17
Gilbert 16
Mark 16
Christopher 15
Eli 15

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Harding households.

FAQ

Harding surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harding surname in 1881?

In 1881, 21,596 people were recorded with the Harding surname. That placed it at #161 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harding surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 28,966 in 2016. That gives Harding a modern rank of #190.

What does the Harding surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "hard or strong fortification" in Old English.

What does the Harding map show?

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