NameCensus.

UK surname

Harlock

An alteration of the Old English surname Herelocc, meaning "army leader".

In the 1881 census there were 389 people recorded with the Harlock surname, ranking it #8,122 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 274, ranked #15,759, down from #8,122 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Ely Trinity and Leake. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Huntingdonshire, Fenland and Peterborough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harlock is 498 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 29.6%.

1881 census count

389

Ranked #8,122

Modern count

274

2016, ranked #15,759

Peak year

1911

498 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harlock had 389 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,122 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 274 in 2016, ranked #15,759.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 498 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Harlock surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harlock surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harlock 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 308 #7,478
1861 historical 353 #7,242
1881 historical 389 #8,122
1891 historical 476 #7,720
1901 historical 495 #8,111
1911 historical 498 #7,853
1997 modern 315 #13,111
1998 modern 325 #13,166
1999 modern 336 #12,969
2000 modern 325 #13,221
2001 modern 309 #13,487
2002 modern 304 #13,887
2003 modern 293 #14,037
2004 modern 304 #13,783
2005 modern 276 #14,579
2006 modern 280 #14,535
2007 modern 272 #14,994
2008 modern 277 #14,940
2009 modern 294 #14,628
2010 modern 300 #14,730
2011 modern 290 #14,933
2012 modern 276 #15,427
2013 modern 286 #15,259
2014 modern 290 #15,203
2015 modern 281 #15,457
2016 modern 274 #15,759

Geography

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Where Harlocks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Ely Trinity, Leake and Paddington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Huntingdonshire, Fenland, Peterborough and Aylesbury Vale. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Ely Trinity Cambridgeshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Leake Lincolnshire
5 Paddington London (West Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Huntingdonshire 003 Huntingdonshire
2 Huntingdonshire 005 Huntingdonshire
3 Fenland 011 Fenland
4 Peterborough 005 Peterborough
5 Aylesbury Vale 007 Aylesbury Vale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harlock

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harlock

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Harlock surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Harlock household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Harlock 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

Harlock 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

Harlock falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Harlock

The surname HARLOCK is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the northern regions of Yorkshire and Lancashire, during the late medieval period around the 13th or 14th century. It is derived from the Old English words "hara" meaning hare and "locc" meaning a lock of hair or tuft, suggesting that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone with unruly or tufted hair resembling a hare's fur.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the HARLOCK surname can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, where a John Harlok is listed as a resident of the village of Kettlewell. This suggests that the name had already been established and in use by that time.

In the 16th century, the HARLOCK surname appears in various parish records and manorial documents across northern England, with variations in spelling such as Harlok, Harloke, and Harlocks. One notable example is the mention of a Robert Harlok in the Wakefield Court Rolls of 1558.

The HARLOCK name is also associated with several place names in the Yorkshire region, such as Harlock Hill and Harlock Moor, further reinforcing its connection to the local geography and culture.

Among the notable historical figures bearing the HARLOCK surname are:

1. Thomas HARLOCK (c. 1560 - 1630), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Beverley, Yorkshire, in the early 17th century.

2. William HARLOCK (1633 - 1698), a successful merchant and landowner in the city of York, whose estate and property records provide valuable insights into the lives of the gentry class during that era.

3. Elizabeth HARLOCK (1712 - 1778), a renowned embroiderer and needlework artist from Lancashire, whose intricate designs and pieces were highly sought after by the wealthy and aristocratic families of the time.

4. John HARLOCK (1785 - 1863), a prominent industrialist and mill owner from Bradford, Yorkshire, who played a significant role in the region's textile industry during the Industrial Revolution.

5. Samuel HARLOCK (1829 - 1901), a notable architect from Leeds, Yorkshire, who designed several iconic buildings and structures in the city, including the Leeds Corn Exchange and the Leeds Mechanics' Institute.

While the HARLOCK surname may not be among the most common in modern times, its historical roots and connections to the northern English regions, particularly Yorkshire and Lancashire, remain well-documented and provide a rich tapestry of cultural and societal insights into the lives of those who bore this name throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Harlock families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harlock 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 68 Harlocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.79x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 68 1.79x
Huntingdonshire 54 71.68x
Lincolnshire 54 8.90x
Cambridgeshire 31 12.90x
Surrey 24 1.30x
Northamptonshire 22 6.16x
Kent 18 1.39x
Cheshire 14 1.67x
Hampshire 14 1.80x
Yorkshire 13 0.35x
Dorset 11 4.42x
Lancashire 11 0.24x
Suffolk 10 2.16x
Sussex 7 1.09x
Norfolk 6 1.03x
Oxfordshire 6 2.56x
Derbyshire 4 0.67x
Devon 3 0.38x
Essex 3 0.40x
Rutland 3 10.77x
Wiltshire 3 0.89x
Somerset 2 0.33x
Worcestershire 2 0.40x
Glamorgan 1 0.15x
Leicestershire 1 0.24x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.20x
Renfrewshire 1 0.34x
Staffordshire 1 0.08x
Warwickshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ramsey in Huntingdonshire leads with 27 Harlocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 447.76x.

Place Total Index
Ramsey 27 447.76x
Leake 19 683.45x
Paddington London 16 11.47x
Camberwell 15 6.19x
Nantwich 14 143.88x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 13 124.05x
Islington London 11 2.99x
Great Grimsby 9 23.37x
Great Stukeley 9 1666.67x
Paston 9 592.11x
St Pancras London 9 2.95x
Littleport 8 174.29x
Poplar London 8 11.17x
Haslingden 7 37.55x
Fordington 6 111.94x
Holbeach 6 88.76x
Huntingdon St John 6 275.23x
Clapham 5 10.54x
Feltwell 5 442.48x
Finedon 5 159.74x
Moulton 5 171.23x
Neithrop 5 63.45x
St George Hanover Square 5 7.48x
Sudbury St Gregory 5 135.14x
Woodlands 5 847.46x
Alfreton 4 22.16x
Deptford St Paul 4 4.01x
Lydd 4 144.40x
Saddleworth 4 13.79x
Sheffield 4 3.34x
Weston 4 363.64x
Woodstone 4 336.13x
Worth 4 86.21x
Aylesbeare 3 263.16x
Bethnal Green London 3 1.82x
Hammersmith London 3 3.21x
Holdenhurst 3 14.71x
Newmarket St Mary 3 84.51x
Oakham Lordshold 3 102.74x
Salisbury St Martin 3 85.96x
Sawtry All Sts 3 340.91x
Shoreditch London 3 1.82x
Soham 3 58.03x
St Marylebone London 3 1.48x
Weston Patrick Weston 3 1363.64x
Ackworth 2 69.20x
Burwell 2 69.44x
Chelsea London 2 1.75x
Clee With Weelsby 2 15.06x
Cliffe 2 68.49x
Dagenham 2 44.84x
Dudley 2 3.32x
Glatton 2 277.78x
Huttoft 2 256.41x
Kingston On Thames 2 4.50x
Lewisham 2 2.90x
Newington 2 1.43x
North Hyckeham 2 338.98x
Peterborough 2 7.74x
Plumstead 2 4.63x
Privett 2 606.06x
South Bersted 2 36.76x
Southcoates 2 9.58x
St Andrewthe Great 2 64.31x
West Meon 2 192.31x
Westminster St Margaret 2 10.93x
Whitstable 2 31.50x
Alconbury 1 112.36x
Birmingham 1 0.31x
Castor 1 65.79x
Christchurch 1 5.93x
Graveley 1 370.37x
Kensington London 1 0.47x
Kings Cliffe 1 60.24x
Mile End Old Town London 1 1.24x
Northampton St Sepulchre 1 5.51x
Prestwich 1 8.90x
Swansea Town 1 1.85x
Tichmarsh 1 83.33x
Woodwalton 1 270.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 29
Elizabeth 17
Sarah 13
Emily 9
Annie 7
Ellen 7
Emma 7
Jane 6
Louisa 6
Charlotte 5
Hannah 5
Susan 5
Alice 4
Florence 4
Edith 3
Harriet 3
Kate 3
Margaret 3
Agnes 2
Amy 2
Ann 2
Caroline 2
Eliza 2
Elizth. 2
Frances 2
Priscilla 2
Annette 1
C. 1
Catherine 1
Drizzie 1
Elizbth. 1
F. 1
Georgiana 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
H. 1
Hephzibah 1
I. 1
Infant 1
Juliana 1
Kathrine 1
Katie 1
Lavina 1
Lilly 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Virtue 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 26
William 26
George 18
James 17
Thomas 12
Henry 8
Frederick 6
Alfred 5
Arthur 5
Edward 5
Joseph 5
Edwin 4
Samuel 4
Albert 3
Herbert 3
Leonard 3
Robert 3
Charles 2
Frank 2
Richard 2
Sidney 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Amos 1
Artli 1
Chas 1
David 1
Ebenezer 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Henery 1
Hollerd 1
I. 1
Jesse 1
Jim 1
Josiah 1
L. 1
Matthew 1
Nathan 1
Philip 1
Richd. 1
Rose 1
Sindall 1
Stevens 1
W. 1
Walt. 1
Wilfred 1

FAQ

Harlock surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harlock surname in 1881?

In 1881, 389 people were recorded with the Harlock surname. That placed it at #8,122 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harlock surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 274 in 2016. That gives Harlock a modern rank of #15,759.

What does the Harlock surname mean?

An alteration of the Old English surname Herelocc, meaning "army leader".

What does the Harlock map show?

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