NameCensus.

UK surname

Hardisty

Hard, rigid soil locale.

In the 1881 census there were 865 people recorded with the Hardisty surname, ranking it #4,373 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,034, ranked #5,641, down from #4,373 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Otley, Skipton and Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford, Kirklees and Doncaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hardisty is 1,219 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.5%.

1881 census count

865

Ranked #4,373

Modern count

1,034

2016, ranked #5,641

Peak year

1911

1,219 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hardisty had 865 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,373 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,034 in 2016, ranked #5,641.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,219 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Hardisty surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hardisty surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hardisty 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 538 #4,683
1861 historical 547 #4,810
1881 historical 865 #4,373
1891 historical 791 #5,081
1901 historical 1,103 #4,377
1911 historical 1,219 #3,876
1997 modern 1,124 #4,979
1998 modern 1,145 #5,083
1999 modern 1,140 #5,143
2000 modern 1,099 #5,272
2001 modern 1,069 #5,291
2002 modern 1,074 #5,375
2003 modern 1,051 #5,371
2004 modern 1,047 #5,405
2005 modern 1,002 #5,540
2006 modern 1,014 #5,498
2007 modern 1,027 #5,493
2008 modern 1,031 #5,513
2009 modern 1,064 #5,480
2010 modern 1,092 #5,473
2011 modern 1,079 #5,460
2012 modern 1,038 #5,560
2013 modern 1,044 #5,643
2014 modern 1,041 #5,673
2015 modern 1,024 #5,701
2016 modern 1,034 #5,641

Geography

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Where Hardistys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Otley, Skipton, Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall, Bradford and Leeds. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bradford, Kirklees, Doncaster and Harrogate. 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 Otley Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Skipton Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bradford 003 Bradford
2 Kirklees 008 Kirklees
3 Doncaster 012 Doncaster
4 Kirklees 009 Kirklees
5 Harrogate 014 Harrogate

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hardisty

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hardisty

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hardisty, 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 Hardisty surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hardisty household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Hardisty is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hardisty is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Hardisty

The surname Hardisty is of English origin, with its roots tracing back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have originated from a place name, likely a small village or hamlet in England. One possible derivation is from the Old English words "hearde" meaning hard or severe, and "stige" meaning path or way, suggesting a connection to a difficult or rugged terrain.

Another theory links the name to the village of Hardisty Hill, located in the county of Yorkshire. This hamlet, first mentioned in historical records in the 13th century, may have given rise to the surname as people migrated from the area and adopted the place name as their family name.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname date back to the late 13th and early 14th centuries. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a record of landowners and tenants in England, there is an entry for a William de Hardisty in Wiltshire. Similarly, the Subsidy Rolls of 1332 list a John Hardisty in Yorkshire.

Notable individuals bearing the Hardisty surname include:

1. John Hardisty (c. 1500 - c. 1570), an English yeoman and landowner in Lincolnshire during the Tudor period. 2. Richard Hardisty (1661 - 1728), a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of York during the early 18th century. 3. Elizabeth Hardisty (1728 - 1801), a writer and poet from Lancashire, known for her collection of poems titled "Reflections of a Country Maid." 4. Sir Thomas Hardisty (1785 - 1867), a British politician and Member of Parliament for the borough of Scarborough in the early 19th century. 5. William Hardisty (1822 - 1892), a Canadian fur trader and explorer who established trading posts in the Northwest Territories during the latter half of the 19th century.

While the Hardisty surname may have originated from a specific location, it has since spread across England and beyond, with various branches of the family establishing roots in different regions over the centuries. The name has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including landowners, merchants, writers, politicians, and explorers, contributing to the rich tapestry of English history and culture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hardisty families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hardisty 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 673 Hardistys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.07x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 673 8.07x
Lancashire 69 0.69x
Cumberland 31 4.28x
Durham 15 0.60x
Middlesex 12 0.14x
Nottinghamshire 11 0.97x
Essex 10 0.60x
Cheshire 6 0.32x
Northumberland 5 0.40x
Bedfordshire 4 0.92x
Kent 4 0.14x
Lincolnshire 4 0.30x
Derbyshire 3 0.23x
Norfolk 3 0.23x
Lanarkshire 2 0.07x
Leicestershire 2 0.21x
Northamptonshire 2 0.25x
Cornwall 1 0.10x
Devon 1 0.06x
Hampshire 1 0.06x
Midlothian 1 0.09x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.37x
Somerset 1 0.07x
Surrey 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 64 Hardistys recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.59x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 64 13.59x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 42 147.21x
Bradford 33 16.34x
Skipton 31 118.10x
Otley 22 108.64x
Wortley In Bramley 20 30.27x
Broughton In Salford 17 18.61x
Hulme 16 7.67x
Burley In Wharfdale 15 203.53x
Hampsthwaite 15 1136.36x
Bingley 14 26.35x
Calverley Cum Farsley 14 59.10x
Hunslet 13 9.99x
Hunsworth 13 296.80x
Manningham 12 11.68x
Dacre 11 591.40x
Eston 11 60.54x
Horsforth 11 60.14x
Great Driffield 10 58.41x
West Ham 10 2.73x
Addingham 9 144.46x
Barnsley 9 10.46x
Bowling 9 10.89x
Cleator 9 29.83x
Glass Houghton 9 297.03x
Potter Newton 9 61.14x
Clint 8 707.96x
Nottingham St Mary 8 2.73x
Selby 8 45.90x
Thornton Bridge 8 5000.00x
Almondbury 7 17.35x
Denton 7 1666.67x
Farnley In Bramley 7 67.24x
Gateshead 7 3.73x
Guiseley 7 65.54x
Ripon 7 36.18x
Thorner 7 259.26x
Barrow In Furness 6 4.42x
Clifton Cum Norwood 6 618.56x
East Keswick 6 465.12x
Fewston 6 645.16x
Haxby 6 372.67x
Headingley Cum Burley 6 11.17x
Heaton Norris 6 10.55x
Holbeck 6 10.86x
Knaresborough 6 45.80x
Whinfell 6 1818.18x
York St George 6 91.32x
Ardwick 5 5.55x
Bishop Auckland 5 14.88x
Bramham Cum Oglethorpe 5 150.15x
Bramley In Bramley 5 15.66x
Bridlington 5 26.18x
Chirton 5 17.64x
Clayton 5 24.49x
Halifax 5 4.08x
Hilderthorpe 5 118.76x
Huby 5 349.65x
Ilkley 5 36.68x
Killinghall 5 256.41x
Liversedge 5 13.46x
Morley 5 11.53x
Northallerton 5 46.95x
Penrith 5 18.67x
Shelf 5 62.74x
Bedford St Peter 4 35.34x
Broughton In Skipton 4 784.31x
Claughton With Grange 4 47.28x
Cononley 4 167.36x
Gainsborough 4 12.61x
Great Salkeld 4 277.78x
Heaton 4 44.64x
Holy Trinity 4 1.99x
Huddersfield 4 3.29x
Idle 4 10.34x
Keighley 4 4.50x
Poulton Le Fylde 4 112.99x
Tonbridge 4 3.86x
West Ardsley 4 39.84x
Westminster St Margaret 4 9.85x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 50
Sarah 48
Ann 23
Annie 23
Elizabeth 23
Jane 18
Hannah 17
Martha 16
Alice 14
Ada 11
Ellen 11
Emily 11
Emma 11
Eliza 10
Margaret 10
Florence 6
Harriet 6
Esther 5
Clara 4
Fanny 4
Grace 4
Matilda 4
Eleanor 3
Ethel 3
Kate 3
Minnie 3
Anne 2
Bessie 2
Betsy 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Elizth. 2
Gertrude 2
Harriett 2
Jessie 2
Julia 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
M. 2
Maria 2
Priscilla 2
Rebecca 2
Ruth 2
Susan 2
Beatrice 1
E.A. 1
E.Ann 1
E.C.J. 1
Volness 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 54
William 50
Thomas 32
Charles 26
George 22
James 19
Robert 17
Joseph 15
Henry 12
Frederick 11
Alfred 9
Arthur 9
Fred 8
Frank 7
Harry 7
Joshua 7
Edward 6
Richard 6
Samuel 6
Wm. 5
Albert 4
Ernest 4
Walter 4
Amos 3
Benjamin 3
Chas. 3
Herbert 3
Jno. 3
Matthew 3
Tom 3
Ambrose 2
Binns 2
Christopher 2
Daniel 2
David 2
Earnest 2
Edwd. 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Geo. 2
J. 2
Mark 2
Reuben 2
Sydney 2
Christr 1
Christr. 1
Cornelius 1
Elizah 1
Ethelbert 1
Jonathan 1

FAQ

Hardisty surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hardisty surname in 1881?

In 1881, 865 people were recorded with the Hardisty surname. That placed it at #4,373 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hardisty surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,034 in 2016. That gives Hardisty a modern rank of #5,641.

What does the Hardisty surname mean?

Hard, rigid soil locale.

What does the Hardisty map show?

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