NameCensus.

UK surname

Harland

Habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "hare land" or "boundary land" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 2,494 people recorded with the Harland surname, ranking it #1,789 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,472, ranked #1,952, down from #1,789 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Whitby, Hull Holy Trinity and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Scarborough and Ryedale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harland is 3,555 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.2%.

1881 census count

2,494

Ranked #1,789

Modern count

3,472

2016, ranked #1,952

Peak year

1999

3,555 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harland had 2,494 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,789 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,472 in 2016, ranked #1,952.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,280 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Harland surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harland surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harland 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 1,559 #1,842
1861 historical 1,681 #1,702
1881 historical 2,494 #1,789
1891 historical 2,707 #1,752
1901 historical 3,141 #1,786
1911 historical 3,280 #1,592
1997 modern 3,394 #1,908
1998 modern 3,525 #1,911
1999 modern 3,555 #1,912
2000 modern 3,532 #1,919
2001 modern 3,453 #1,922
2002 modern 3,496 #1,942
2003 modern 3,447 #1,923
2004 modern 3,388 #1,956
2005 modern 3,352 #1,947
2006 modern 3,345 #1,951
2007 modern 3,373 #1,951
2008 modern 3,366 #1,979
2009 modern 3,444 #1,983
2010 modern 3,528 #1,972
2011 modern 3,498 #1,960
2012 modern 3,438 #1,960
2013 modern 3,485 #1,965
2014 modern 3,500 #1,972
2015 modern 3,460 #1,973
2016 modern 3,472 #1,952

Geography

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Where Harlands are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Whitby, Hull Holy Trinity, London parishes, Gateshead and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Scarborough and Ryedale. 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 Whitby Yorkshire, North Riding
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Scarborough 004 Scarborough
2 Scarborough 002 Scarborough
3 Scarborough 001 Scarborough
4 Scarborough 003 Scarborough
5 Ryedale 002 Ryedale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harland

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harland

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Harland 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

Harland 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

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

Meaning and origin of Harland

The surname Harland is of English origin, originating from the regions of Yorkshire and Lancashire. It is derived from the Old English words "hara" meaning "hare" and "land" meaning "land" or "estate". The name likely referred to an area or estate associated with hares or where they were abundant.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Harelunt" in Yorkshire. This spelling variation suggests the name's link to the land and its connection to hares.

In the 12th century, the name appeared as "Harelande" in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire. These ancient records documented tax payments and landholdings, indicating the Harland family's presence in the region during this period.

The Harland surname evolved over time, with various spellings such as Harland, Harlond, and Harlande appearing in historical records across different regions of England.

Notable individuals with the Harland surname include Sir Robert Harland (1516-1584), a prominent English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London. Another notable figure was Sir Edward Harland (1831-1895), a prominent shipbuilder and industrialist from Belfast, Ireland, who co-founded the iconic Harland and Wolff shipyard, responsible for constructing the RMS Titanic.

In the literary world, Henry Harland (1861-1905) was a renowned American novelist and editor known for his works such as "The Cardinal's Snuff-Box" and "The Lady Paramount".

Moving to the realm of sports, Herbert Harland (1875-1946) was an English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Another notable figure was Sir Ralph Harland (1885-1977), a British civil engineer and architect who designed several iconic buildings, including the Palace of Westminster and the National Gallery in London.

These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the Harland surname throughout history, showcasing its longstanding presence and significance across various fields and regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Harland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harland 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. Yorkshire leads with 1,249 Harlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.18x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 1,249 5.18x
Durham 321 4.43x
Middlesex 175 0.72x
Kent 145 1.75x
Surrey 136 1.15x
Sussex 110 2.68x
Lancashire 97 0.34x
Northumberland 42 1.16x
Hampshire 35 0.70x
Essex 23 0.48x
Devon 13 0.26x
Dorset 13 0.81x
Hertfordshire 13 0.77x
Gloucestershire 11 0.23x
Cheshire 10 0.19x
Fife 8 0.56x
Monmouthshire 8 0.45x
Staffordshire 8 0.10x
Lanarkshire 7 0.09x
Westmorland 7 1.31x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.18x
Warwickshire 6 0.10x
Carmarthenshire 5 0.49x
Glamorgan 5 0.12x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.27x
Lincolnshire 4 0.10x
Pembrokeshire 4 0.52x
Ayrshire 3 0.16x
Bedfordshire 3 0.24x
Berkshire 3 0.16x
Derbyshire 3 0.08x
Oxfordshire 3 0.20x
Renfrewshire 3 0.16x
Shropshire 3 0.14x
Royal Navy 2 0.69x
Somerset 2 0.05x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.06x
Leicestershire 1 0.04x
Norfolk 1 0.03x
Peeblesshire 1 0.87x
Suffolk 1 0.03x
West Lothian 1 0.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Whitby in Yorkshire leads with 75 Harlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 92.24x.

Place Total Index
Whitby 75 92.24x
Lambeth 63 2.97x
Stockton On Tees 54 15.47x
Ruswarp 45 167.66x
Holy Trinity 41 7.06x
Scarborough 41 18.70x
Bradford 40 6.85x
Eskdaleside 39 328.84x
Brighton 37 4.47x
Stranton 37 15.17x
Leeds 35 2.57x
Knayton With Brawith 26 905.92x
Bishopwearmouth 25 4.02x
Croydon 22 3.34x
Fylingdales 22 182.88x
Linthorpe 22 15.28x
Westgate 22 9.81x
Hetton Le Hole 21 22.88x
Manchester 21 1.62x
Ormesby 20 30.85x
Shoreditch London 19 1.80x
Snainton 19 293.66x
Camberwell 18 1.16x
Middlesbrough 18 5.73x
Bishop Auckland 17 17.49x
Northallerton 17 55.19x
Darlington 16 5.72x
Eltham 16 32.87x
Houghton Le Spring 16 31.96x
Sculcoates 16 4.18x
Skelton In Guisbrough 16 24.51x
Cropton 15 510.20x
Bow London 14 4.52x
Hartlepool 14 13.60x
Sherburn 14 70.60x
South Shoebury 14 72.54x
Thirsk 14 50.29x
Birdsall 13 485.07x
Chislehurst 13 29.18x
Islington London 13 0.55x
Moston 13 44.86x
Tonbridge 13 4.34x
York St Maurice 13 28.62x
Borrowby In 12 446.10x
Burn 12 422.54x
Doncaster 12 6.81x
Kensington London 12 0.89x
York St Mary 12 12.01x
Bromley London 11 2.05x
Foots Cray 11 69.18x
Gateshead 11 2.03x
Hove 11 6.11x
Hunslet 11 2.92x
Liverton 11 197.13x
Newton In Pickering 11 533.98x
West Tanfield 11 239.65x
Bridlington 10 18.10x
Clifton In York 10 19.81x
Framfield 10 78.55x
Kearby Cum Netherby 10 847.46x
Lythe 10 104.06x
Poole St James 10 16.66x
Ugglebarnby 10 307.69x
Hackney London 9 0.66x
Southwick 9 41.46x
Aldershot 8 4.79x
Bowling 8 3.35x
Brantingham 8 350.88x
East Molesey 8 29.07x
Farndale East Side 8 258.90x
Glaisdale 8 86.96x
Halifax 8 2.26x
Harton 8 27.95x
Heworth 8 5.60x
Lilley 8 189.57x
Marske In Guisbrough 8 18.67x
Old Malton 8 52.74x
Steyning 8 57.47x
Thwing 8 217.98x
Yeadon 8 14.68x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 176
Elizabeth 96
Jane 92
Sarah 71
Ann 55
Annie 48
Hannah 48
Eliza 36
Alice 33
Margaret 27
Emma 25
Ada 20
Ellen 20
Edith 18
Emily 18
Maria 15
Martha 13
Harriet 12
Anne 11
Frances 11
Louisa 11
Rebecca 11
Caroline 10
Dorothy 10
Charlotte 9
Clara 9
Fanny 9
Florence 9
Isabella 9
Kate 9
Amelia 8
Esther 8
Catherine 7
Eleanor 7
Ethel 7
Rose 7
Matilda 6
Maud 6
Amy 5
Bertha 5
Grace 5
Harriett 5
Rachel 5
Susan 5
Agnes 4
Gertrude 4
Isabel 4
Lucy 4
Mabel 4
Margret 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 173
William 147
Thomas 107
George 77
James 64
Robert 58
Henry 46
Charles 38
Richard 37
Joseph 35
Alfred 25
Edward 21
Arthur 20
Frederick 18
Harry 17
Christopher 14
Tom 13
Walter 13
Edwin 10
Francis 10
Frank 10
Herbert 10
David 8
Wm. 8
Daniel 7
Ernest 7
Samuel 7
Albert 6
Edmund 6
Geo. 5
Mark 5
Matthew 5
Thos. 5
Andrew 4
Benjamin 4
Fred 4
Isaac 4
Percy 4
Peter 4
Robinson 4
Anthony 3
Fredrick 3
Nathan 3
Reginald 3
Robt. 3
Stephen 3
J. 2
Richd. 2
Sam 2
Smith 2

FAQ

Harland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,494 people were recorded with the Harland surname. That placed it at #1,789 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,472 in 2016. That gives Harland a modern rank of #1,952.

What does the Harland surname mean?

Habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "hare land" or "boundary land" in Old English.

What does the Harland map show?

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