NameCensus.

UK surname

Harkness

From an English place name, derived from the Old English words "heorh" meaning "heap" and "næss" meaning "headland."

In the 1881 census there were 1,681 people recorded with the Harkness surname, ranking it #2,554 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,677, ranked #2,498, up from #2,554 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Gateshead and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Thornhill, Annan East and IZ09.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harkness is 2,732 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 59.3%.

1881 census count

1,681

Ranked #2,554

Modern count

2,677

2016, ranked #2,498

Peak year

2010

2,732 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harkness had 1,681 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,554 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,677 in 2016, ranked #2,498.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,226 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Harkness surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harkness surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harkness 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 1,257 #2,269
1861 historical 1,190 #2,383
1881 historical 1,681 #2,554
1891 historical 1,884 #2,442
1901 historical 2,226 #2,426
1911 historical 957 #4,710
1997 modern 2,566 #2,473
1998 modern 2,658 #2,478
1999 modern 2,687 #2,473
2000 modern 2,650 #2,490
2001 modern 2,571 #2,501
2002 modern 2,635 #2,497
2003 modern 2,553 #2,516
2004 modern 2,552 #2,518
2005 modern 2,548 #2,502
2006 modern 2,582 #2,472
2007 modern 2,603 #2,477
2008 modern 2,630 #2,470
2009 modern 2,698 #2,465
2010 modern 2,732 #2,494
2011 modern 2,717 #2,479
2012 modern 2,651 #2,494
2013 modern 2,673 #2,516
2014 modern 2,693 #2,514
2015 modern 2,673 #2,512
2016 modern 2,677 #2,498

Geography

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Where Harkness' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Gateshead, Edinburgh, Moffat and Annan. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Thornhill, Annan East, IZ09, Lochside and Lincluden and Carlisle. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Moffat Dumfries
5 Annan Dumfries

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Thornhill Dumfries and Galloway
2 Annan East Dumfries and Galloway
3 IZ09 West Dunbartonshire
4 Lochside and Lincluden Dumfries and Galloway
5 Carlisle 008 Carlisle

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harkness

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harkness

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Harkness, 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 Harkness surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Harkness 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

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Harkness is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Harkness 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

Harkness falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Harkness

The surname Harkness originated in England, deriving from the Old English words "hara" meaning "hare" and "næss" meaning "headland" or "promontory." This name likely referred to a physical feature of the landscape, suggesting a headland or hill where hares were found. The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the late 12th century in Yorkshire.

One of the earliest documented references to the Harkness name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166-1167, where a person named Radulfus de Harenesse is mentioned. This spelling variation, "Harenesse," provides insight into the name's evolution over time. Another early record comes from the Curia Regis Rolls of 1208, which mentions a William de Harenesse.

The Harkness name has also been linked to various place names in England, such as Harnesse in Yorkshire and Harness in Staffordshire. These place names likely originated from the same Old English roots as the surname, further reinforcing the name's connection to the landscape.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Harkness surname. One of the earliest recorded was Sir Robert Harkness (c.1510-1592), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1585-1586. Another notable figure was Sir William Harkness (1597-1671), an English lawyer and judge who served as Chief Justice of the Common Pleas from 1662 to 1671.

In the literary world, Edward S. Harkness (1874-1940) was an American philanthropist and patron of the arts, best known for his substantial donations to Yale University and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Additionally, George Harkness (1882-1963) was a Scottish-American theologian and professor at various universities, including Syracuse University and the University of Chicago.

One of the most remarkable individuals with the Harkness surname was Margaret Harkness (1854-1923), an English novelist and social reformer. She was a prominent voice in the late 19th century, advocating for improved living conditions for the working class through her writing and activism.

The Harkness name has a rich history rooted in the English landscape and has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, ranging from merchants and politicians to philanthropists and social reformers. Its enduring presence throughout the centuries serves as a testament to its significance in British genealogy and cultural heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Harkness families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harkness 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. Dumfriesshire leads with 334 Harkness' recorded in 1881 and an index of 92.37x.

County Total Index
Dumfriesshire 334 92.37x
Lanarkshire 319 6.03x
Cumberland 145 10.29x
Durham 137 2.81x
Lancashire 108 0.56x
Roxburghshire 70 23.61x
Renfrewshire 69 5.44x
Midlothian 59 2.69x
Ayrshire 50 4.08x
Yorkshire 35 0.22x
Northumberland 32 1.31x
Argyllshire 28 6.14x
Middlesex 28 0.17x
Cheshire 27 0.75x
Wigtownshire 27 12.42x
Kent 22 0.39x
Kirkcudbrightshire 20 8.44x
Surrey 17 0.21x
East Lothian 14 6.46x
Dunbartonshire 13 2.96x
Fife 13 1.34x
West Lothian 13 5.27x
Kinross-shire 8 19.33x
Warwickshire 7 0.17x
Worcestershire 7 0.33x
Buckinghamshire 6 0.61x
Somerset 6 0.23x
Buteshire 5 5.04x
Norfolk 5 0.20x
Berwickshire 4 2.02x
Derbyshire 4 0.16x
Dorset 4 0.37x
Glamorgan 4 0.14x
Peeblesshire 4 5.20x
Staffordshire 4 0.07x
Aberdeenshire 3 0.20x
Bedfordshire 3 0.35x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.29x
Essex 3 0.09x
Perthshire 3 0.41x
Stirlingshire 3 0.50x
Berkshire 2 0.16x
Devon 2 0.06x
Angus 1 0.07x
Channel Islands 1 0.21x
Cornwall 1 0.05x
Hampshire 1 0.03x
Lincolnshire 1 0.04x
Morayshire 1 0.39x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.05x
Sussex 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 87 Harkness' recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.64x.

Place Total Index
Govan 87 6.64x
Barony 79 5.90x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 38 4.31x
Glasgow 34 3.62x
Moffat 34 206.06x
Annan 30 96.59x
Sanguhar 29 602.91x
Preston 28 5.39x
Jedburgh 26 89.47x
Kirkconnell 26 453.75x
New Monkland 26 16.62x
Heworth 24 25.01x
Kirkmaiden 24 174.42x
Muirkirk 23 79.94x
Gretna 22 323.53x
Wilton 22 67.63x
Birkenhead 21 7.29x
Conside Knitsley 20 52.81x
Crawford 19 192.31x
Caldewgate 18 23.31x
Cummersdale 17 353.43x
Arthuret 15 102.04x
Dumfries 15 42.05x
Kirkdale 15 4.59x
Middlebie 15 138.25x
West Greenock 15 6.59x
Hawick 14 21.10x
Kirkpatrick Fleming 14 169.49x
Monkwearmouth 14 30.04x
Camberwell 13 1.24x
Cambusnethan 13 11.06x
Dunoon 13 138.74x
Dunoon Kilmun 12 33.77x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 12 8.25x
Crawfordjohn 11 232.56x
Gillingham 11 9.55x
Johnstone 11 195.38x
Liverpool 11 0.93x
Paisley Middle Church 11 14.90x
Ruthwell 11 225.87x
Whitehaven 11 14.64x
Bishopwearmouth 10 2.39x
Closeburn 10 118.62x
Cupar 10 23.73x
Hoddam 10 114.81x
Penpont 10 150.38x
Preston Quarter 10 25.32x
Stockton On Tees 10 4.26x
Applegarth 9 163.93x
Bewcastle 9 180.72x
Cockermouth 9 30.33x
Dalmellington 9 24.99x
Deptford St Paul 9 2.09x
Hutton 9 197.37x
Kilmalcolm 9 59.21x
Lanark 9 21.13x
Renfrew 9 21.48x
Tanfield 9 15.54x
Tynron 9 382.98x
Whitburn 9 25.27x
Bolton 8 423.28x
Cambuslang 8 14.99x
East Greenock 8 6.68x
Gateshead 8 2.19x
Harton 8 41.58x
Hulme 8 1.97x
Kinross 8 56.38x
Morton 8 66.67x
Sedgefield 8 46.08x
Shotts 8 12.63x
Castleton 7 54.95x
Dalston Buckabank 7 244.76x
Dryfesdale 7 42.02x
Dumbarton 7 11.43x
Durrisdeer 7 112.90x
Girvan 7 22.76x
Hornsey 7 3.38x
Old Monkland 7 3.33x
Sanquhar 7 55.07x
Toxteth Park 7 1.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 38
Margaret 26
Jane 23
Elizabeth 21
Ann 14
Isabella 14
Sarah 14
Agnes 8
Ellen 8
Hannah 7
Annie 6
Catherine 6
Eliza 6
Emma 5
Janet 5
Jessie 5
Margt. 5
Maria 5
Charlotte 4
Elizth. 4
Alice 3
Amelia 3
Annabella 3
Edith 3
Eleanor 3
Fanny 3
Grace 3
Martha 3
Susan 3
Susannah 3
Ada 2
Agatha 2
Ethel 2
Henrietta 2
Maggie 2
Matilda 2
Angelina 1
Anny 1
Barbara 1
Barova 1
Elisabeth 1
Eliz. 1
Eliz.Ann 1
Ella 1
Ellie 1
Hellen 1
Isa. 1
Isabel 1
Jacobina 1
Williamina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 55
William 36
James 25
Thomas 24
Robert 21
George 19
David 13
Joseph 10
Henry 8
Andrew 5
Peter 5
Richard 5
Adam 4
Edward 4
Fredk. 4
Alexander 3
Alfred 3
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Wm. 3
Albert 2
Arthur 2
Charles 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Isaac 2
Jos. 2
Maitland 2
Malcolm 2
Robt. 2
Dd.Wm.Ostle 1
Edwd. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Gilbert 1
Granger 1
Harry 1
Hugh 1
Irvine 1
J. 1
Jas 1
Jas. 1
Jno.Granville 1
Jonathan 1
Mark 1
Martin 1
Mary 1
Norman 1
Philip 1
Raymond 1

FAQ

Harkness surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harkness surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,681 people were recorded with the Harkness surname. That placed it at #2,554 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harkness surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,677 in 2016. That gives Harkness a modern rank of #2,498.

What does the Harkness surname mean?

From an English place name, derived from the Old English words "heorh" meaning "heap" and "næss" meaning "headland."

What does the Harkness map show?

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