NameCensus.

UK surname

Harlin

A Breton surname derived from a place name or derived from the Welsh element "har" meaning heron.

In the 1881 census there were 55 people recorded with the Harlin surname, ranking it #25,862 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 140, ranked #24,865, up from #25,862 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caerphilly, Bexley and Sevenoaks.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harlin is 155 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 154.5%.

1881 census count

55

Ranked #25,862

Modern count

140

2016, ranked #24,865

Peak year

1997

155 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harlin had 55 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,862 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016, ranked #24,865.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 81 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Harlin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harlin surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harlin 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 65 #21,747
1861 historical 81 #23,431
1881 historical 55 #25,862
1891 historical 73 #27,677
1901 historical 67 #26,703
1911 historical 59 #26,914
1997 modern 155 #20,684
1998 modern 151 #21,578
1999 modern 134 #23,378
2000 modern 132 #23,562
2001 modern 127 #23,781
2002 modern 123 #24,735
2003 modern 117 #25,282
2004 modern 118 #25,317
2005 modern 127 #24,178
2006 modern 128 #24,267
2007 modern 127 #24,748
2008 modern 126 #25,131
2009 modern 132 #24,929
2010 modern 133 #25,379
2011 modern 134 #25,050
2012 modern 134 #25,059
2013 modern 142 #24,547
2014 modern 146 #24,274
2015 modern 139 #24,956
2016 modern 140 #24,865

Geography

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Where Harlins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Caerphilly, Bexley, Sevenoaks, Bristol and Torbay. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caerphilly 017 Caerphilly
2 Bexley 019 Bexley
3 Sevenoaks 016 Sevenoaks
4 Bristol 035 Bristol, City of
5 Torbay 013 Torbay

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harlin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harlin

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Harlin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Harlin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Harlin is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Harlin is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Harlin falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Harlin

The surname Harlin is of English origin, emerging in the late medieval period. It is thought to have derived from the Old English words "hara" meaning hare and "lena" meaning dweller or meadow, suggesting that the name initially referred to someone who lived in an area frequented by hares.

The earliest recorded instances of the name appear in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled as Harlinge. This ancient record indicates that the name was present in various counties across England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Cambridgeshire.

During the 13th century, the name evolved to its more modern spelling of Harlin. This variation can be found in various historical records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire from 1212, which mention a William Harlin.

Notably, the surname Harlin is associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest is Sir John Harlin (1389-1457), a prominent English landowner and knight who served as a Member of Parliament for Lincolnshire in the mid-15th century.

Another distinguished bearer of the name was Thomas Harlin (1512-1580), an English theologian and scholar who served as the Dean of Worcester Cathedral during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the name gained recognition through the work of William Harlin (1623-1689), a renowned English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings, including the Church of St. Mary-le-Strand in London.

The 18th century saw the rise of James Harlin (1745-1819), a respected English botanist and horticulturist who made significant contributions to the study of plant life and the development of modern gardening techniques.

Lastly, one cannot overlook the legacy of Sir Edward Harlin (1812-1891), a highly decorated British military officer who served in various campaigns, including the Crimean War and the Indian Rebellion of 1857, earning him the prestigious Victoria Cross for his bravery.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Harlin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harlin 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 18 Harlins recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.36x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 18 3.36x
Yorkshire 9 1.69x
Kent 7 3.82x
Lanarkshire 6 3.46x
Lancashire 5 0.79x
Cumberland 3 6.50x
Bedfordshire 2 7.20x
Durham 2 1.25x
Essex 1 0.94x
Lincolnshire 1 1.17x
Renfrewshire 1 2.41x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 17 Harlins recorded in 1881 and an index of 72.96x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 17 72.96x
Carluke 5 316.46x
Doncaster 5 128.87x
Swanscombe 5 609.76x
Bingley 4 118.34x
Bury 3 41.27x
Whitehaven 3 121.95x
Luton 2 41.58x
Barony 1 2.28x
Bexley 1 61.73x
Blackburn 1 5.91x
Charlton Next Woolwich 1 52.36x
Chilton 1 200.00x
Great Grimsby 1 18.38x
Hackney London 1 3.33x
Oldham 1 4.87x
Prittlewell 1 68.03x
South Shields 1 70.42x
West Greenock 1 13.40x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Thomas 3
Andrew 2
James 2
John 2
Carl 1
Charles 1
Edwin 1
Harry 1
Issac 1
Jonas 1
Patrick 1
Saml.Joseph 1
Samuel 1
Silas 1
Wm. 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 Harlin households.

FAQ

Harlin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harlin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 55 people were recorded with the Harlin surname. That placed it at #25,862 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harlin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016. That gives Harlin a modern rank of #24,865.

What does the Harlin surname mean?

A Breton surname derived from a place name or derived from the Welsh element "har" meaning heron.

What does the Harlin map show?

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