NameCensus.

UK surname

Harford

Derived from a place name meaning "stag ford," referring to a river crossing frequented by deer.

In the 1881 census there were 971 people recorded with the Harford surname, ranking it #4,005 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,247, ranked #4,787, down from #4,005 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Trowbridge. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rhondda Cynon Taf, Herefordshire and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harford is 1,350 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.4%.

1881 census count

971

Ranked #4,005

Modern count

1,247

2016, ranked #4,787

Peak year

2010

1,350 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harford had 971 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,005 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,247 in 2016, ranked #4,787.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,119 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Harford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harford 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 809 #3,317
1861 historical 906 #3,056
1881 historical 971 #4,005
1891 historical 1,119 #3,798
1901 historical 1,091 #4,426
1911 historical 1,110 #4,181
1997 modern 1,221 #4,645
1998 modern 1,283 #4,628
1999 modern 1,277 #4,673
2000 modern 1,290 #4,610
2001 modern 1,247 #4,651
2002 modern 1,283 #4,626
2003 modern 1,258 #4,620
2004 modern 1,240 #4,671
2005 modern 1,225 #4,674
2006 modern 1,229 #4,675
2007 modern 1,241 #4,688
2008 modern 1,245 #4,697
2009 modern 1,298 #4,615
2010 modern 1,350 #4,539
2011 modern 1,276 #4,726
2012 modern 1,226 #4,828
2013 modern 1,253 #4,809
2014 modern 1,259 #4,823
2015 modern 1,240 #4,834
2016 modern 1,247 #4,787

Geography

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Where Harfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Trowbridge, London parishes and St Philip and Jacob. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rhondda Cynon Taf, Herefordshire, Wiltshire and Bristol. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Trowbridge Wiltshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rhondda Cynon Taf 008 Rhondda Cynon Taf
2 Rhondda Cynon Taf 006 Rhondda Cynon Taf
3 Herefordshire 009 Herefordshire, County of
4 Wiltshire 008 Wiltshire
5 Bristol 003 Bristol, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harford

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Harford is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Harford is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Harford 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 Harford is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Harford, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Harford

The surname Harford is of English origin and is derived from a place name, indicating that the earliest bearers of this name hailed from a particular location. It is believed to have originated in the county of Devon, where the name can be traced back to the 12th century.

The name Harford is thought to be a combination of two Old English words: "hær," meaning an army or host, and "ford," referring to a shallow crossing point over a river or stream. This suggests that the name may have originated from a location where an army or group of soldiers crossed a ford, perhaps during a military campaign or battle.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Harford can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Devon from 1194, where a person named William de Hereford is mentioned. This spelling variation suggests that the name may have been originally derived from the town of Hereford, before evolving into its current form.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various records, such as the Assize Rolls of Somerset from 1268, which mentions a Robert de Hareford. This indicates that the name had spread to other parts of England by this time.

Notable historical figures with the surname Harford include:

1. John Harford (c. 1490 - c. 1554), an English merchant and politician who served as Mayor of Bristol. 2. William Harford (1594 - 1683), an English Puritan minister and author known for his work "The Discipline of the Church." 3. John Scandrett Harford (1785 - 1866), an English Quaker and philanthropist who founded several charitable institutions in Bristol. 4. Charles Joseph Harford (1843 - 1920), an English writer and historian who wrote extensively about the history of Bristol. 5. Walter Harford (1883 - 1951), an English businessman and politician who served as Member of Parliament for Bristol North.

The name Harford has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Harford Bridge in Devon, Harford Hill in Somerset, and Harford Manor in Gloucestershire, further reinforcing its connection to specific locations.

While the surname Harford may not be as widespread as some other English names, it has a rich history deeply rooted in the geography and events of medieval England, reflecting the experiences and movements of its earliest bearers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Harford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harford 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 129 Harfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.36x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 129 1.36x
Wiltshire 105 12.48x
Gloucestershire 101 5.41x
Yorkshire 74 0.79x
Lancashire 73 0.65x
Somerset 68 4.44x
Surrey 61 1.32x
Staffordshire 43 1.34x
Herefordshire 39 10.00x
Worcestershire 39 3.14x
Glamorgan 37 2.23x
Kent 30 0.92x
Devon 22 1.11x
Warwickshire 20 0.83x
Hampshire 19 0.97x
Nottinghamshire 19 1.48x
Derbyshire 14 0.94x
Northumberland 14 0.99x
Durham 10 0.35x
Cheshire 8 0.38x
Denbighshire 7 1.95x
Dorset 6 0.96x
Sussex 6 0.37x
Essex 5 0.27x
Bedfordshire 4 0.81x
Cardiganshire 4 1.72x
Royal Navy 4 3.53x
Leicestershire 3 0.28x
Berkshire 2 0.28x
Hertfordshire 2 0.31x
Lanarkshire 2 0.07x
Shropshire 2 0.24x
Lincolnshire 1 0.07x
Monmouthshire 1 0.15x
Norfolk 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Bromwich in Staffordshire leads with 43 Harfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.40x.

Place Total Index
West Bromwich 43 23.40x
Trowbridge 28 75.31x
Bristol St James St Paul 24 38.59x
Stapleton 21 59.34x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 20 11.39x
Bedminster 19 13.21x
Colwall 18 372.67x
Battersea 17 4.86x
Bradford On Avon 17 63.13x
Lambeth 17 2.05x
Bromsgrove 16 38.28x
Manchester 16 3.15x
St Pancras London 16 2.09x
Aberdare 15 13.19x
Batley 15 16.75x
Staveley 14 52.97x
Hackney London 13 2.44x
Holy Trinity 13 5.73x
Birmingham 12 1.50x
Lyncombe Widcombe 12 29.94x
Brightside Bierlow 10 5.41x
Broad Clist 10 146.41x
Cardiff St Mary 10 10.96x
Levenshulme 10 86.06x
Mile End Old Town London 10 4.94x
Islington London 9 0.98x
Rowde 9 231.96x
Winkfield With Rowley 9 769.23x
Liverpool 8 1.17x
Nottingham St Mary 8 2.41x
Portsea 8 2.09x
Scarborough 8 9.34x
Southwark St George Martyr 8 4.18x
West Derby 8 2.42x
Westminster St James 8 8.18x
Beverley St Martin 7 44.50x
Boyton 7 700.00x
Bristol St Paul In 7 14.09x
Chippenham 7 39.68x
Gateshead 7 3.30x
Hammersmith London 7 2.99x
Kensington London 7 1.32x
Kilton 7 1521.74x
Ledbury 7 52.28x
Leigh 7 46.42x
Lenton 7 23.18x
Newcastle On Tyne St 7 9.54x
Rangeworthy 7 864.20x
St Marylebone London 7 1.38x
Wrexham Regis 7 26.24x
Bathford 6 191.08x
Rastrick 6 22.92x
Sculcoates 6 4.02x
St George Hanover Square 6 3.58x
St Lawrence 6 26.89x
Wallsend 6 13.37x
Bingley 5 8.33x
Chelsea London 5 1.74x
Deptford St Nicholas 5 19.42x
Droitwich St Andrew 5 159.74x
Edgbaston 5 6.72x
Everton 5 1.39x
Heytesbury 5 162.87x
Monkton Farleigh 5 367.65x
Olveston 5 95.42x
St Mary Cray 5 80.52x
Sutton Veney 5 211.86x
Bath St James 4 25.05x
Cheltenham 4 2.78x
Great Crosby 4 13.00x
Holdenhurst 4 7.82x
Kingston On Thames 4 3.59x
Lampeter 4 175.44x
Leominster 4 24.78x
Paddington London 4 1.14x
Padiham 4 14.67x
Royal Navy 4 4.13x
Tranmere 4 5.18x
Twickenham 4 9.81x
Wraxall 4 136.99x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 53
John 47
James 29
Thomas 29
George 27
Henry 22
Joseph 22
Edward 20
Richard 17
Charles 16
Frederick 13
Arthur 9
Alfred 7
Francis 7
Harry 7
Robert 7
Samuel 7
Albert 6
Herbert 6
Daniel 5
Ernest 5
Frank 5
Benjamin 4
David 4
Fredk. 4
Walter 4
Andrew 3
Edmund 3
Geo. 3
Nelson 3
Austin 2
Earnest 2
Elijah 2
Fred 2
Frederic 2
Georg 2
Hugh 2
Jonas 2
Lancaster 2
Michael 2
Patrick 2
Peter 2
Saml. 2
Wm. 2
Felix 1
Fras. 1
Fred. 1
J. 1
Jacob 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Harford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 971 people were recorded with the Harford surname. That placed it at #4,005 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,247 in 2016. That gives Harford a modern rank of #4,787.

What does the Harford surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "stag ford," referring to a river crossing frequented by deer.

What does the Harford map show?

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