NameCensus.

UK surname

Hare

An English surname derived from a nickname for a swift runner or a timid person.

In the 1881 census there were 4,634 people recorded with the Hare surname, ranking it #962 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,584, ranked #1,203, down from #962 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Hull Holy Trinity and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Lincolnshire, Hambleton and South Holland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hare is 5,953 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 20.5%.

1881 census count

4,634

Ranked #962

Modern count

5,584

2016, ranked #1,203

Peak year

1999

5,953 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hare had 4,634 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #962 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,584 in 2016, ranked #1,203.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,866 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hare surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hare surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hare 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 3,185 #905
1861 historical 3,060 #943
1881 historical 4,634 #962
1891 historical 4,873 #957
1901 historical 5,525 #1,012
1911 historical 5,866 #883
1997 modern 5,766 #1,136
1998 modern 5,942 #1,141
1999 modern 5,953 #1,144
2000 modern 5,944 #1,141
2001 modern 5,763 #1,150
2002 modern 5,867 #1,153
2003 modern 5,691 #1,158
2004 modern 5,670 #1,159
2005 modern 5,531 #1,168
2006 modern 5,554 #1,167
2007 modern 5,586 #1,165
2008 modern 5,609 #1,167
2009 modern 5,687 #1,182
2010 modern 5,814 #1,179
2011 modern 5,728 #1,180
2012 modern 5,637 #1,177
2013 modern 5,696 #1,189
2014 modern 5,709 #1,195
2015 modern 5,610 #1,202
2016 modern 5,584 #1,203

Geography

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Where Hares are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Hull Holy Trinity, St Pancras and Shitlington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Lincolnshire, Hambleton and South Holland. 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 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Shitlington Bedfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Lincolnshire 015 North Lincolnshire
2 Hambleton 006 Hambleton
3 North Lincolnshire 016 North Lincolnshire
4 North Lincolnshire 018 North Lincolnshire
5 South Holland 007 South Holland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hare

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hare

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Hare is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hare 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

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

Meaning and origin of Hare

The surname HARE is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "hara" which means a hare or a small fur-bearing animal. This name was likely originally given as a nickname to someone who exhibited characteristics reminiscent of a hare, such as swiftness or timidity.

The name is thought to have originated in the 11th century and can be found in early records such as the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Hare" in Essex and Norfolk. The name was also found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273 as "le Hare" in Oxfordshire.

One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing this name was William le Hare, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199. Another early bearer was John Hare, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327.

The name HARE was also associated with several place names in England, such as Hare Hatch in Berkshire and Hare Street in Hertfordshire. These place names may have influenced the spelling and spread of the surname.

Notable individuals with the surname HARE throughout history include Sir Ralph Hare (c. 1496-1563), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Norfolk. Another was Sir Nicholas Hare (1572-1624), a prominent English lawyer and Member of Parliament for Norfolk.

Other notable bearers of the name include John Hare (1844-1921), an English actor and theatre manager, and Augustus J.C. Hare (1834-1903), an English writer and traveler. The English poet and novelist Thomas Hare (1806-1891) was also a notable figure.

Throughout its history, the surname HARE has maintained a strong presence in England, particularly in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex, where it is believed to have originated.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hare families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hare 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 711 Hares recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.58x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 711 1.58x
Yorkshire 634 1.42x
Lincolnshire 604 8.38x
Surrey 250 1.14x
Lancashire 214 0.40x
Bedfordshire 192 8.22x
Kent 162 1.05x
Hertfordshire 138 4.44x
Essex 132 1.48x
Warwickshire 122 1.07x
Durham 110 0.82x
Midlothian 109 1.80x
Somerset 89 1.23x
Norfolk 83 1.20x
Buckinghamshire 75 2.75x
Devon 75 0.80x
Sussex 60 0.79x
Nottinghamshire 59 0.97x
Suffolk 59 1.07x
Northumberland 52 0.78x
Hampshire 48 0.52x
Gloucestershire 47 0.53x
Dorset 45 1.52x
Northamptonshire 45 1.06x
Staffordshire 40 0.26x
Glamorgan 39 0.50x
Cambridgeshire 37 1.30x
Lanarkshire 37 0.25x
Worcestershire 29 0.49x
Ayrshire 28 0.83x
Cornwall 26 0.51x
Derbyshire 24 0.34x
Cheshire 23 0.23x
Leicestershire 19 0.38x
Pembrokeshire 19 1.33x
Wiltshire 17 0.43x
Huntingdonshire 16 1.79x
Perthshire 16 0.79x
Rutland 12 3.62x
Angus 11 0.26x
Berkshire 11 0.33x
Carmarthenshire 10 0.53x
Herefordshire 9 0.49x
Renfrewshire 9 0.26x
Dunbartonshire 8 0.66x
Royal Navy 8 1.49x
Selkirkshire 8 1.96x
West Lothian 7 1.03x
Clackmannanshire 6 1.61x
Monmouthshire 6 0.18x
Channel Islands 4 0.30x
Fife 4 0.15x
East Lothian 3 0.50x
Flintshire 3 0.25x
Peeblesshire 3 1.41x
Stirlingshire 3 0.18x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.11x
Cardiganshire 2 0.18x
Cumberland 2 0.05x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.02x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.10x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.15x
Shropshire 1 0.03x
Sutherland 1 0.29x
Wigtownshire 1 0.17x

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 70 Hares recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.85x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 70 1.85x
Islington London 65 1.49x
Shillington 60 174.47x
Holy Trinity 53 4.93x
Kensington London 52 2.07x
St Pancras London 50 1.38x
West Ham 48 2.44x
Lambeth 47 1.20x
Beaconsfield 41 162.38x
St Marylebone London 41 1.70x
Aston 38 1.21x
Bermondsey 37 2.76x
Bethnal Green London 36 1.84x
Hitchin 33 23.52x
St Swithin Lincoln 32 28.23x
Chelsea London 31 2.28x
Hackney London 30 1.19x
Henlow 30 208.19x
Mile End Old Town London 30 3.13x
Poplar London 29 3.41x
Battersea 28 1.69x
Hammersmith London 28 2.52x
Sculcoates 26 3.67x
Boston 25 11.43x
Bramham Cum Oglethorpe 25 140.21x
Peterborough 25 8.14x
St George Hanover Square 25 3.15x
Mansfield 24 11.41x
Minster In Sheppey 24 9.42x
Pudsey 24 10.05x
Tottenham 23 3.20x
Deptford St Paul 22 1.85x
South Leith 22 3.24x
Deeping St James 21 82.42x
Old Warden 21 274.15x
Paddington London 21 1.27x
Northam 20 29.24x
Wortley In Bramley 20 5.65x
Barony 19 0.51x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 19 0.78x
Shoreditch London 19 0.97x
Snape 19 262.43x
Camberwell 18 0.63x
Evenwood Barony 18 39.47x
Everton 18 1.06x
Fulham London 18 2.75x
Gosberton 18 56.21x
Riccall 18 148.51x
Ripon 18 17.37x
St Botolph Lincoln 18 34.73x
Hornsey 17 2.98x
Wimblington 17 100.95x
Barton St Mary 16 44.25x
Clerkenwell London 16 1.50x
Newbattle 16 30.99x
Offley 16 79.13x
St George In East London 16 3.77x
St Luke London 16 2.21x
Blandford Forum 15 25.69x
Broughton 15 74.29x
Dalkeith 15 12.59x
Gate Fulford 15 14.38x
Great Grimsby 15 3.28x
Pirton 15 85.76x
St Issells 15 49.51x
Teddington London 15 14.68x
Deal 14 10.67x
Harwich St Nicholas 14 20.37x
Leeds 14 0.55x
Liverpool 14 0.43x
Oldbury 14 4.83x
Scarborough 14 3.45x
Sheffield 14 0.98x
Southwark St George Martyr 14 1.54x
Stamford St George 14 43.21x
Tattershall Thorpe 14 293.50x
Walcot 14 3.62x
Balk 13 1226.42x
Barrow In Furness 13 1.79x
Lewisham 13 1.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 281
Elizabeth 165
Sarah 161
Eliza 80
Ann 76
Emma 73
Annie 69
Alice 66
Jane 64
Emily 57
Ellen 48
Margaret 42
Martha 38
Hannah 36
Caroline 31
Louisa 29
Lucy 29
Harriet 28
Kate 28
Catherine 27
Charlotte 27
Ada 26
Edith 25
Fanny 25
Frances 25
Florence 22
Clara 19
Ethel 18
Maria 18
Susan 17
Gertrude 16
Harriett 16
Anne 15
Agnes 14
Eleanor 14
Isabella 12
Minnie 12
Rebecca 12
Esther 11
Rose 11
Susannah 11
Amy 10
Mabel 10
Lizzie 9
Selina 9
Elizth. 8
Helen 8
Jessie 8
Maud 8
Rachel 8

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 258
William 245
George 174
James 132
Thomas 124
Charles 111
Henry 102
Joseph 67
Arthur 54
Robert 51
Alfred 50
Edward 47
Richard 41
Frederick 38
Samuel 34
Walter 31
Herbert 25
Albert 23
Ernest 22
Harry 21
Francis 16
Edwin 14
Frank 14
Fred 12
Benjamin 11
Stephen 11
David 10
Andrew 7
Thos. 7
Wm. 7
Geo. 6
Isaac 6
Matthew 6
Michael 6
Percy 6
Chas. 5
Hugh 5
Lewis 5
Patrick 5
W. 5
A. 4
Fredk. 4
Peter 4
Robt. 4
Tom 4
Alexander 3
Daniel 3
Humphrey 3
Ralph 3
Reginald 3

FAQ

Hare surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hare surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,634 people were recorded with the Hare surname. That placed it at #962 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hare surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,584 in 2016. That gives Hare a modern rank of #1,203.

What does the Hare surname mean?

An English surname derived from a nickname for a swift runner or a timid person.

What does the Hare map show?

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