NameCensus.

UK surname

Harkess

A Scottish surname of uncertain origin, possibly referring to an inhabitant of a hard or hardy place.

In the 1881 census there were 88 people recorded with the Harkess surname, ranking it #21,211 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 287, ranked #15,212, up from #21,211 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tranent, Gateshead and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include IZ09, Stockton-on-Tees and Springburn East and Cowlairs.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harkess is 309 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 226.1%.

1881 census count

88

Ranked #21,211

Modern count

287

2016, ranked #15,212

Peak year

1999

309 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harkess had 88 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,211 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 287 in 2016, ranked #15,212.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 257 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Harkess surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harkess surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Harkess 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 69 #21,148
1861 historical 56 #26,864
1881 historical 88 #21,211
1891 historical 196 #15,163
1901 historical 257 #12,898
1911 historical 112 #21,274
1997 modern 286 #13,942
1998 modern 300 #13,877
1999 modern 309 #13,697
2000 modern 289 #14,272
2001 modern 292 #13,967
2002 modern 293 #14,203
2003 modern 276 #14,604
2004 modern 269 #14,955
2005 modern 271 #14,780
2006 modern 265 #15,126
2007 modern 268 #15,172
2008 modern 276 #14,994
2009 modern 288 #14,838
2010 modern 289 #15,127
2011 modern 272 #15,653
2012 modern 274 #15,498
2013 modern 282 #15,441
2014 modern 281 #15,583
2015 modern 275 #15,707
2016 modern 287 #15,212

Geography

Back to top

Where Harkess' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tranent, Gateshead, Edinburgh, Middlesborough and Long Benton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to IZ09, Stockton-on-Tees, Springburn East and Cowlairs and Wigan. 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 Tranent Haddington
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Middlesborough Durham
5 Long Benton Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 IZ09 East Lothian
2 Stockton-on-Tees 008 Stockton-on-Tees
3 Stockton-on-Tees 009 Stockton-on-Tees
4 Springburn East and Cowlairs Glasgow City
5 Wigan 002 Wigan

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Harkess

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Harkess

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Harkess, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Harkess surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Harkess household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Harkess is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

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

Harkess is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Harkess falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Harkess is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Harkess

The surname Harkess has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 16th century. It is a locational name derived from the lands of Harkess, near the village of Crocketford in the parish of Urr, Kirkcudbrightshire. The name is believed to have originated from the Scottish Gaelic words "ard" meaning high and "cois" meaning foot or base, referring to the geographical location of the lands.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Retours of Kirkcudbright in 1617, which mentions a John Harkess. In the same year, a Patrick Harkess is also mentioned in the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland.

The Harkess family played a significant role in the history of Galloway, with several members holding prominent positions. William Harkess, born in 1624, was a renowned Scottish minister and author who served as the minister of Crocketford parish from 1658 until his death in 1686.

In the 17th century, the Harkess family spread to other parts of Scotland and England. James Harkess, born in 1652 in Kirkcudbrightshire, relocated to Northumberland, England, where he established a successful mercantile business.

During the 18th century, the Harkess name gained prominence in the literary world. Robert Harkess, born in 1725 in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, was a renowned poet and playwright. His most celebrated work, "The Shepherd's Garland," published in 1768, was widely acclaimed for its vivid portrayal of rural Scottish life.

Another notable figure was Alexander Harkess, born in 1762 in Kirkcudbrightshire. He was a prominent Scottish lawyer and judge who served as the Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1820 to 1822.

In the 19th century, the Harkess family continued to make significant contributions. John Harkess, born in 1812 in Wigtownshire, Scotland, was a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in Glasgow, including the iconic City Chambers.

While the Harkess surname originated in Scotland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with families carrying this name residing in countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Harkess families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harkess 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. Midlothian leads with 34 Harkess' recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.91x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 34 29.91x
Durham 21 8.32x
Northumberland 11 8.71x
Berwickshire 10 97.28x
Yorkshire 4 0.48x
Middlesex 3 0.35x
Cheshire 2 1.07x
East Lothian 1 8.90x
Gloucestershire 1 0.60x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 25 Harkess' recorded in 1881 and an index of 54.66x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 25 54.66x
Westoe 14 97.83x
Cramlington 10 598.80x
Coldstream 9 1216.22x
Edinburgh Lady Yesters 8 1012.66x
Middlesbrough 4 36.53x
Stranton 3 35.29x
Islington London 2 2.43x
Oxton 2 188.68x
Shildon 2 98.52x
Brandon Byshottles 1 31.65x
Clifton 1 11.89x
Cranston 1 344.83x
Darlington 1 10.26x
Mertoun 1 500.00x
Paddington London 1 3.21x
Tranent 1 65.79x
Wall 1 833.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Hannah 3
Margaret 3
Mary 3
Annie 2
Jane 2
Dorothy 1
Edith 1
Elizabeth 1
Evelyn 1
Hilda 1
Isabella 1
Louisa 1
Marry 1
Meggie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 4
James 3
Robert 3
George 2
Henry 2
John 2
Benjamin 1
Edward 1
Finlay 1
Thomas 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Harkess households.

FAQ

Harkess surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harkess surname in 1881?

In 1881, 88 people were recorded with the Harkess surname. That placed it at #21,211 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harkess surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 287 in 2016. That gives Harkess a modern rank of #15,212.

What does the Harkess surname mean?

A Scottish surname of uncertain origin, possibly referring to an inhabitant of a hard or hardy place.

What does the Harkess map show?

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