NameCensus.

UK surname

Hares

A surname derived from the animal name "hare", possibly denoting a swift runner or someone known for their speed.

In the 1881 census there were 634 people recorded with the Hares surname, ranking it #5,595 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 821, ranked #6,763, down from #5,595 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Prees and Pilton, North Wootton, Shepton Mallet, Croscombe. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, Mendip and North Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hares is 854 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.5%.

1881 census count

634

Ranked #5,595

Modern count

821

2016, ranked #6,763

Peak year

1998

854 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hares had 634 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,595 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 821 in 2016, ranked #6,763.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 772 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hares surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hares surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hares 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 469 #5,291
1861 historical 459 #5,654
1881 historical 634 #5,595
1891 historical 702 #5,586
1901 historical 710 #6,211
1911 historical 772 #5,620
1997 modern 827 #6,372
1998 modern 854 #6,411
1999 modern 845 #6,515
2000 modern 845 #6,492
2001 modern 827 #6,488
2002 modern 853 #6,444
2003 modern 825 #6,483
2004 modern 834 #6,438
2005 modern 829 #6,426
2006 modern 812 #6,534
2007 modern 816 #6,583
2008 modern 817 #6,622
2009 modern 843 #6,604
2010 modern 836 #6,779
2011 modern 825 #6,773
2012 modern 795 #6,864
2013 modern 827 #6,765
2014 modern 834 #6,757
2015 modern 829 #6,722
2016 modern 821 #6,763

Geography

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Where Hares' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Prees, Pilton, North Wootton, Shepton Mallet, Croscombe, Bedwelty and St George. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, Mendip and North Somerset. 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 Prees Shropshire
3 Pilton, North Wootton, Shepton Mallet, Croscombe Somerset
4 Bedwelty Monmouthshire
5 St George Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 002 Shropshire
2 Mendip 009 Mendip
3 North Somerset 024 North Somerset
4 Mendip 006 Mendip
5 Mendip 007 Mendip

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hares

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hares

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

Hares is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Hares

The surname HARES is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "hara" meaning "hare." It is thought to have originated as a nickname or descriptive name for someone who exhibited characteristics reminiscent of a hare, such as swiftness or timidity.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname HARES can be traced back to the 13th century. In 1273, a Robert le Hare was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire, and a Walter Hare was documented in the Assize Rolls of Warwickshire in 1279. These early spellings suggest that the name was initially rendered as "le Hare" or "Hare."

The HARES surname has a long history in England, appearing in various county records and manuscripts throughout the centuries. One notable mention is in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a landowner named Roger Hares is listed as holding lands in Wiltshire.

Some notable individuals bearing the surname HARES include:

1. Sir Ralph Hares (c. 1500 - 1567), an English politician and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. 2. John Hares (1585 - 1670), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Bishop of Chichester. 3. Hugh Hares (1630 - 1707), an English lawyer and politician who served as the Recorder of Cambridge. 4. Thomas Hares (1666 - 1738), an English mathematician and inventor who contributed to the development of the pendulum clock. 5. William Hares (1808 - 1888), a British architect and surveyor best known for his work on ecclesiastical buildings in England.

The surname HARES has also been associated with various place names and older spellings of place names in England. For example, the village of Hares Green in Bedfordshire, formerly spelled "Haresgrene," likely derives its name from the presence of hares in the area.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hares families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hares 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. Somerset leads with 185 Hares' recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.61x.

County Total Index
Somerset 185 18.61x
Gloucestershire 80 6.61x
Staffordshire 46 2.21x
Middlesex 33 0.53x
Lancashire 28 0.38x
Glamorgan 24 2.23x
Monmouthshire 24 5.38x
Surrey 24 0.80x
Cornwall 23 3.29x
Shropshire 19 3.56x
Warwickshire 19 1.22x
Cheshire 18 1.32x
Wiltshire 17 3.11x
Devon 16 1.24x
Kent 12 0.57x
Hertfordshire 9 2.11x
Yorkshire 9 0.15x
Essex 7 0.57x
Worcestershire 7 0.87x
Hampshire 6 0.47x
Bedfordshire 5 1.56x
Leicestershire 5 0.73x
Buckinghamshire 4 1.07x
Dorset 4 0.99x
Angus 1 0.17x
Berkshire 1 0.22x
Fife 1 0.27x
Northamptonshire 1 0.17x
Northumberland 1 0.11x
Oxfordshire 1 0.26x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.51x
Royal Navy 1 1.36x
Sussex 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St George in Gloucestershire leads with 49 Hares' recorded in 1881 and an index of 87.48x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St George 49 87.48x
Weston Super Mare 38 151.39x
Shipham 36 4186.05x
Shepton Mallet 19 170.40x
Chewton Mendip 16 975.61x
Bedwellty 15 19.03x
Frome 14 58.90x
Kinver 12 199.67x
Prees 12 184.62x
West Bromwich 12 10.06x
Quethiock 10 970.87x
Bradford On Avon 9 51.49x
Croscombe 9 737.70x
Croydon 9 5.39x
Alcester 8 155.64x
Aston 8 1.87x
Golborne 8 83.77x
Llansamlet Higher 8 99.75x
Radstock 8 122.32x
Stoke In Nantwich 8 1904.76x
Warminster 8 66.83x
Westonsuper Mare 8 394.09x
Wolstanton 8 12.64x
Battersea 7 3.08x
Bexley 7 37.57x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 7 6.14x
Clifton 7 11.43x
Llanrhidian Higher 7 102.49x
Burland 6 431.65x
Hackney London 6 1.73x
Middlesbrough 6 7.53x
Pendleton In Salford 6 6.87x
Portsea 6 2.42x
Shelsley Kings 6 1000.00x
Bristol St James St Paul 5 12.38x
Cresswell 5 7142.86x
Illogan 5 27.01x
Kensworth 5 362.32x
Lyncombe Widcombe 5 19.22x
Thornton 5 549.45x
Yeovil 5 24.75x
Ystradyfodwg 5 5.30x
Bedwas 4 123.46x
Chipping Barnet 4 53.76x
Hindley 4 12.80x
Melcombe Regis 4 23.82x
Oving 4 493.83x
Portskewett 4 384.62x
Rowberrow 4 1111.11x
St Germans 4 81.97x
St Pancras London 4 0.80x
Wells St Cuthbert 4 59.00x
West Teignmouth 4 40.69x
Whitchurch 4 38.65x
Audley 3 14.55x
Bitton 3 28.46x
Bradford 3 8.75x
Bristol St Augustine 3 15.35x
Burton Upon Trent 3 6.15x
Clerkenwell London 3 2.06x
Doulting 3 234.38x
Gloucester St Mary Lode 3 105.63x
Islington London 3 0.50x
Leyton Low 3 12.11x
Llandaff 3 8.39x
Luton 3 5.42x
Morval 3 209.79x
Seaton 3 60.61x
Shoreditch London 3 1.12x
St Marylebone London 3 0.91x
Westminster St Margaret 3 10.07x
Bawdrip 2 240.96x
Chigwell 2 17.39x
Dawley 2 10.30x
Lambeth 2 0.37x
Liverpool 2 0.45x
Midsomer Norton 2 21.37x
Moss Side 2 5.19x
Rowington 2 114.29x
Toddington 2 43.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 43
Elizabeth 25
Sarah 24
Ann 21
Alice 10
Ellen 9
Hannah 9
Annie 8
Martha 8
Eliza 7
Amelia 6
Edith 6
Emily 6
Harriet 6
Jane 6
Louisa 6
Fanny 5
Florence 5
Maria 5
Anna 4
Kate 4
Agnes 3
Bessie 3
Caroline 3
Frances 3
Julia 3
Margaret 3
Anne 2
Beatrice 2
Elizh. 2
Florance 2
Helen 2
Lilly 2
Lydia 2
Rose 2
Rosina 2
Susan 2
Amey 1
Amy 1
Betsy 1
Blanch 1
Edna 1
Elizth. 1
Ethel 1
Harriett 1
Isabella 1
Janes 1
Janet 1
Johanna 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 50
John 41
George 29
James 26
Henry 21
Thomas 18
Charles 13
Joseph 11
Edward 8
Frederick 8
Samuel 7
Albert 6
David 6
Alfred 5
Arthur 5
Eli 4
Harry 4
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Fred 3
Isaac 3
Robert 3
Tom 3
Walter 3
Daniel 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Richard 2
Saml. 2
Alexander 1
Ann 1
Boaz 1
Fred.G. 1
Frederic 1
Griffith 1
Herbert 1
Jacob 1
Jarrick 1
Jessey 1
Jim 1
Job 1
Mark 1
Oliver 1
Paul 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Robet 1
Ruben 1
Stephen 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Hares surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hares surname in 1881?

In 1881, 634 people were recorded with the Hares surname. That placed it at #5,595 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hares surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 821 in 2016. That gives Hares a modern rank of #6,763.

What does the Hares surname mean?

A surname derived from the animal name "hare", possibly denoting a swift runner or someone known for their speed.

What does the Hares map show?

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