NameCensus.

UK surname

Harfield

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "hare field" or "field of hares".

In the 1881 census there were 483 people recorded with the Harfield surname, ranking it #6,948 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 694, ranked #7,758, down from #6,948 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Catherington, Waterloo, London parishes and Southwick, Farlington, Wymering, Widley, Boarhunt. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Hampshire, Winchester and Eastleigh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harfield is 808 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.7%.

1881 census count

483

Ranked #6,948

Modern count

694

2016, ranked #7,758

Peak year

2010

808 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harfield had 483 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,948 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 694 in 2016, ranked #7,758.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 753 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Harfield surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harfield surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Harfield 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 341 #6,892
1861 historical 501 #5,220
1881 historical 483 #6,948
1891 historical 607 #6,324
1901 historical 608 #7,000
1911 historical 753 #5,722
1997 modern 755 #6,853
1998 modern 785 #6,864
1999 modern 785 #6,907
2000 modern 794 #6,816
2001 modern 761 #6,917
2002 modern 779 #6,925
2003 modern 763 #6,916
2004 modern 756 #6,980
2005 modern 744 #7,006
2006 modern 758 #6,930
2007 modern 763 #6,960
2008 modern 794 #6,797
2009 modern 806 #6,843
2010 modern 808 #6,966
2011 modern 806 #6,895
2012 modern 720 #7,452
2013 modern 716 #7,605
2014 modern 720 #7,612
2015 modern 705 #7,679
2016 modern 694 #7,758

Geography

Back to top

Where Harfields are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Catherington, Waterloo, London parishes, Southwick, Farlington, Wymering, Widley, Boarhunt and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Hampshire, Winchester, Eastleigh and Basingstoke and Deane. 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 Catherington, Waterloo Hampshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Southwick, Farlington, Wymering, Widley, Boarhunt Hampshire
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Hampshire 011 East Hampshire
2 Winchester 013 Winchester
3 Eastleigh 006 Eastleigh
4 Basingstoke and Deane 003 Basingstoke and Deane
5 Winchester 008 Winchester

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Harfield

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Harfield

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

Harfield is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Harfield falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Harfield 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 Harfield, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Harfield

The surname Harfield originated in England and Scotland during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. It is believed to be a locational surname, derived from a place name referring to a "hare field" or an area where hares were commonly found.

One of the earliest recorded spellings of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1297, where a Robert de Harefelde is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 13th century.

In the Huntingdonshire Hundred Rolls of 1273, there is a reference to a Hugo de Harefelde, indicating the presence of the name in that region during the same time period.

The Harfield surname is also believed to be associated with the village of Harefield in Middlesex, which was recorded as "Herefelde" in the Domesday Book of 1086. This place name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "hara" (hare) and "feld" (field).

One notable bearer of the Harfield surname was William Harfield, a 16th-century English merchant and Member of Parliament for Maldon in Essex. He was born around 1530 and died in 1595.

Another historically significant individual was Sir Edward Harfield, a 17th-century English politician and landowner. He served as a Member of Parliament for Monmouth and was born in 1604, passing away in 1677.

In Scotland, the surname Harfield can be traced back to the 15th century. Records show a John Harfelde who was a tenant in Berwickshire in 1494.

During the 16th century, a branch of the Harfield family settled in the Scottish Borders region, where they became landowners and prominent figures in local affairs. One notable member was William Harfield, who was born in 1570 and served as a magistrate in Jedburgh.

The Harfield surname has also been associated with the village of Harefield in Hertfordshire, England, which was known as "Hereveld" in the Domesday Book. This further supports the theory that the name originated from a place name related to hare fields or areas where hares were commonly found.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Harfield families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harfield 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. Hampshire leads with 286 Harfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.37x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 286 29.37x
Sussex 54 6.74x
Surrey 30 1.30x
Middlesex 24 0.51x
Warwickshire 17 1.42x
Kent 14 0.86x
Cheshire 6 0.57x
Derbyshire 6 0.81x
Dorset 6 1.92x
Durham 6 0.42x
Lincolnshire 5 0.66x
Northamptonshire 5 1.12x
Berkshire 4 1.12x
Yorkshire 4 0.09x
Leicestershire 3 0.57x
Northumberland 3 0.42x
Channel Islands 2 1.42x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.31x
Royal Navy 2 3.53x
Somerset 2 0.26x
Staffordshire 2 0.12x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.35x
Lancashire 1 0.02x
Wiltshire 1 0.24x
Worcestershire 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 56 Harfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.35x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 56 29.35x
Cheriton 47 4700.00x
Southwick 31 2870.37x
Brighton 18 11.14x
Buriton 12 641.71x
South Stoneham 12 56.82x
South Bersted 11 161.53x
Alverstoke 10 28.38x
Owslebury 10 724.64x
Brown Candover 9 2093.02x
Leckford 9 1914.89x
Aston 8 2.43x
Catherington 8 372.09x
Boldre 6 171.92x
East Meon 6 236.22x
Funtington 6 333.33x
Harting 6 288.46x
Morestead 6 2608.70x
St Pancras London 6 1.57x
Titchfield 6 81.74x
Croydon 5 3.89x
Derby St Werburgh 5 11.64x
Fareham 5 42.74x
Gateshead 5 4.73x
Lyme Regis 5 134.05x
Millbrook 5 20.39x
Northfleet 5 35.01x
Basingstoke 4 35.71x
Bermondsey 4 2.83x
Havant 4 81.14x
Kingstonupon Hull 4 106.10x
Lambeth 4 0.97x
Minster In Sheppey 4 14.90x
Newington 4 2.28x
Odiham 4 93.68x
Old Alresford 4 500.00x
Southampton St Mary 4 6.53x
Wolfhampcote 4 740.74x
Birkenhead 3 3.59x
Birmingham 3 0.75x
Cliddesden 3 555.56x
Droxford 3 80.65x
Gainsborough 3 16.75x
Hackney London 3 1.13x
Isleworth 3 14.20x
Islington London 3 0.65x
Marple 3 41.67x
Portsmouth 3 13.38x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 3.14x
Speen 3 51.46x
Subdeanary 3 139.53x
Tynemouth 3 7.93x
Yelvertoft 3 365.85x
Barnby Moor 2 512.82x
Camberwell 2 0.66x
Chatham 2 4.49x
Crondall 2 38.24x
Edgbaston 2 5.38x
Great Grimsby 2 4.15x
Hascombe 2 281.69x
Jevington 2 416.67x
Leicester St Margaret 2 1.56x
Royal Navy 2 4.13x
Rumbolds Wyke 2 136.05x
Southampton St Michael 2 62.31x
Southwark St John 2 13.76x
St Marylebone London 2 0.79x
Sunbury 2 35.03x
Westbourne 2 50.13x
Andover 1 10.87x
Bilston 1 3.22x
Hampstead London 1 1.35x
Hurst 1 21.41x
Milton In Gravesend 1 4.11x
Paddington London 1 0.57x
Portchester 1 79.37x
Seaham 1 19.42x
Stoke D Abernon 1 149.25x
Warblington 1 25.91x
Weeke 1 33.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 29
Elizabeth 26
Sarah 16
Alice 11
Emily 10
Ellen 9
Jane 9
Charlotte 8
Eliza 8
Annie 7
Emma 6
Harriet 6
Ann 5
Fanny 5
Florence 5
Louisa 5
Lucy 5
Edith 3
Frances 3
Harriett 3
Lizzie 3
Margaret 3
Rose 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Anne 2
Catherine 2
Hannah 2
Isabella 2
Julia 2
Kezia 2
Laura 2
Matilda 2
Maud 2
Rebecca 2
Celeina 1
Dorothy 1
E. 1
E.Kate 1
Elizth. 1
Ellena 1
Eva 1
Georgina 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Katie 1
Lavinia 1
Lily 1
Unica 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 33
George 26
John 25
James 15
Thomas 14
Charles 13
Henry 11
Edward 7
Robert 6
Albert 4
Alfred 4
Joseph 4
Richard 4
Daniel 3
David 3
Edwin 3
Frank 3
Frederick 3
Geo. 3
Leonard 3
Arthur 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Jno. 2
Percy 2
Sydney 2
Wm.Hy. 2
Bertie 1
Douglas 1
Eldred 1
Ellis 1
Enos 1
Freddy 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo.Jas. 1
Horace 1
Hugh 1
J. 1
Josiah 1
Louis 1
Otto 1
Percival 1
Ponsford 1
Ralph 1
Richd. 1
Samuel 1
Sholts 1
Wm.Jno. 1

FAQ

Harfield surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harfield surname in 1881?

In 1881, 483 people were recorded with the Harfield surname. That placed it at #6,948 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harfield surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 694 in 2016. That gives Harfield a modern rank of #7,758.

What does the Harfield surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "hare field" or "field of hares".

What does the Harfield map show?

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