NameCensus.

UK surname

Harmer

An English occupational surname referring to someone who works with armor or is an armor-maker.

In the 1881 census there were 2,969 people recorded with the Harmer surname, ranking it #1,504 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,323, ranked #2,048, down from #1,504 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, Tunbridge, Bidborough and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Norfolk, Rother and Eastbourne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harmer is 4,046 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11.9%.

1881 census count

2,969

Ranked #1,504

Modern count

3,323

2016, ranked #2,048

Peak year

1911

4,046 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harmer had 2,969 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,504 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,323 in 2016, ranked #2,048.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,046 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Harmer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harmer surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harmer 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 1,745 #1,656
1861 historical 1,801 #1,609
1881 historical 2,969 #1,504
1891 historical 3,153 #1,498
1901 historical 3,692 #1,519
1911 historical 4,046 #1,268
1997 modern 3,531 #1,833
1998 modern 3,628 #1,861
1999 modern 3,698 #1,840
2000 modern 3,676 #1,836
2001 modern 3,554 #1,864
2002 modern 3,617 #1,871
2003 modern 3,487 #1,903
2004 modern 3,478 #1,903
2005 modern 3,398 #1,915
2006 modern 3,357 #1,941
2007 modern 3,354 #1,964
2008 modern 3,356 #1,990
2009 modern 3,390 #2,023
2010 modern 3,423 #2,038
2011 modern 3,362 #2,043
2012 modern 3,362 #2,007
2013 modern 3,395 #2,021
2014 modern 3,440 #2,009
2015 modern 3,393 #2,014
2016 modern 3,323 #2,048

Geography

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Where Harmers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, Tunbridge, Bidborough, London parishes, St Pancras and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Norfolk, Rother, Eastbourne and Hastings. 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 Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew Sussex
2 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Norfolk 010 North Norfolk
2 Rother 007 Rother
3 Eastbourne 002 Eastbourne
4 Hastings 006 Hastings
5 Hastings 010 Hastings

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harmer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harmer

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Harmer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Harmer household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Harmer is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Harmer 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

Harmer falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Harmer

The surname Harmer is an occupational name of English origin, derived from the Old English word "haremere," which means a person who hunted or drove hares. It first appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was recorded as "Haremer" in Essex and Suffolk counties.

The name likely originated in the rural areas of eastern England, where hunting and trapping hares were common occupations during the Middle Ages. Over time, the spelling evolved to its current form, Harmer, with variations such as Harmar and Harmore also being recorded.

One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing this surname was William Harmer, who lived in Buckinghamshire in the 13th century. Another notable figure was John Harmer, a merchant from London, who was mentioned in records from the 15th century.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in the parish records of several English counties, including Hertfordshire, Essex, and Sussex. One prominent individual from this period was Richard Harmer (c. 1535-1610), a clergyman and scholar who served as the Dean of Winchester Cathedral.

During the 17th century, the Harmer family established themselves in various parts of England, with branches appearing in counties such as Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, and Lancashire. One notable figure from this time was Sir John Harmer (1620-1689), a wealthy landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire.

In the 18th century, the name continued to spread across England, with individuals bearing the surname appearing in records from counties like Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Somerset. One significant individual from this period was Thomas Harmer (1715-1788), a renowned biblical scholar and author who published several works on the interpretation of the Old Testament.

As the British Empire expanded, the Harmer surname also found its way to other parts of the world. One notable figure was William Harmer (1786-1853), a surveyor and explorer who worked for the East India Company and helped map parts of India and Southeast Asia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Harmer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harmer 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. Sussex leads with 573 Harmers recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.74x.

County Total Index
Sussex 573 11.74x
Middlesex 478 1.65x
Norfolk 444 9.97x
Kent 330 3.34x
Surrey 262 1.86x
Lancashire 146 0.43x
Gloucestershire 144 2.54x
Yorkshire 96 0.33x
Essex 81 1.42x
Suffolk 52 1.47x
Hertfordshire 42 2.10x
Warwickshire 36 0.49x
Worcestershire 33 0.87x
Berkshire 32 1.47x
Durham 25 0.29x
Glamorgan 21 0.42x
Leicestershire 19 0.59x
Hampshire 17 0.29x
Northamptonshire 16 0.59x
Cheshire 14 0.22x
Derbyshire 12 0.26x
Lincolnshire 10 0.22x
Monmouthshire 9 0.43x
Oxfordshire 9 0.50x
Shropshire 9 0.36x
Cambridgeshire 7 0.38x
Staffordshire 7 0.07x
West Lothian 7 1.61x
Somerset 6 0.13x
Bedfordshire 5 0.33x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.23x
Cornwall 4 0.12x
Midlothian 4 0.10x
Royal Navy 4 1.16x
Devon 3 0.05x
Dorset 3 0.16x
Cumberland 2 0.08x
Herefordshire 1 0.08x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tonbridge in Kent leads with 82 Harmers recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.02x.

Place Total Index
Tonbridge 82 23.02x
St Pancras London 70 3.00x
Brighton 64 6.50x
Hackney London 52 3.20x
Stroud 52 47.06x
Wigan 52 10.83x
Eastbourne 50 22.26x
Lambeth 49 1.94x
Deptford St Paul 48 6.30x
Camberwell 47 2.54x
West Ham 45 3.57x
Croydon 42 5.36x
Heathfield 40 202.22x
Tottenham 40 8.67x
Islington London 38 1.35x
Newington 33 3.09x
Burwash 32 141.28x
Coltishall 32 338.62x
Bromley London 28 4.40x
Ticehurst 28 93.74x
Bethnal Green London 27 2.15x
Birmingham 27 1.11x
Hastings St Mary In The 26 24.97x
Salehurst 26 122.99x
Shoreditch London 26 2.07x
East Ruston 25 378.21x
Maidstone 25 8.50x
Bermondsey 23 2.67x
Great Yarmouth 23 6.24x
Herstmonceaux 23 156.68x
Sheringham 22 191.64x
Cirencester 21 27.32x
Matlask 19 1165.64x
Ashburnham 18 234.68x
Ludham 18 228.14x
Hailsham 17 57.55x
Sandhurst 17 146.17x
Southcoates 17 10.67x
Kensington London 16 0.99x
Randwick 16 142.98x
Paddington London 15 1.41x
Roath 15 6.55x
Smallburgh 15 285.71x
Sprowston 15 76.37x
Leicester St Margaret 14 1.79x
St Marylebone London 14 0.91x
Wimbledon 14 8.84x
Bow London 13 3.53x
Brightlingsea 13 39.80x
Great Budworth 13 114.74x
Hastings St Leonards 13 18.12x
Lewisham 13 2.47x
Lowestoft 13 7.80x
Minster In Sheppey 13 7.94x
Southwark St George Martyr 13 2.23x
St George Hanover Square 13 2.55x
St Luke London 13 2.80x
Acton 12 7.07x
Brenenden 12 94.41x
Hastings St Mary 12 9.88x
Holbeck 12 6.31x
Ipswich St Mathew 12 12.14x
Mattishall 12 134.68x
Preston 12 1.31x
Happisburgh 11 197.84x
Heigham 11 4.60x
Holy Trinity 11 1.59x
Penge 11 5.95x
Stevenage 11 35.55x
Stoke Newington London 11 4.88x
West Firle 11 193.66x
Witton In Smallburgh 11 438.25x
Hammersmith London 10 1.40x
Kings Norton 10 2.95x
Leyton 10 10.16x
South Malling 10 138.12x
St Lawrence 10 14.72x
Waldron 10 75.19x
Weston 10 104.06x
Winterbourne 10 31.87x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 159
Elizabeth 119
Sarah 96
Ann 54
Ellen 52
Emily 50
Alice 45
Emma 40
Eliza 38
Jane 36
Harriet 34
Annie 31
Caroline 30
Charlotte 29
Martha 29
Louisa 27
Hannah 25
Edith 23
Fanny 22
Harriett 22
Maria 21
Kate 18
Esther 16
Florence 16
Ada 15
Catherine 15
Susan 15
Lucy 14
Amelia 12
Frances 12
Clara 11
Agnes 10
Margaret 10
Anne 9
Rose 9
Ruth 9
Matilda 8
Rebecca 8
Selina 8
Anna 7
Ethel 7
Gertrude 7
Julia 7
Maud 7
Susannah 7
Laura 6
Minnie 6
Rosa 6
Sophia 6
Jessie 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 174
George 133
John 124
Thomas 93
Henry 79
James 71
Charles 69
Robert 56
Joseph 43
Frederick 40
Alfred 37
Walter 37
Albert 36
Arthur 27
Edward 23
Ernest 20
Samuel 20
Herbert 18
Richard 18
Frank 15
Harry 15
David 13
Edwin 12
Stephen 11
Benjamin 8
Wm. 8
Francis 7
Thos. 7
Horace 6
Leonard 6
Michael 6
Percy 5
Reuben 5
Chas. 4
Daniel 4
Ebenezer 4
Ephraim 4
Fredk. 4
Isaac 4
Martin 4
Robt. 4
Anthony 3
Earnest 3
Eli 3
Infant 3
Jonathan 3
Launcelot 3
Matthew 3
Roland 3
Sydney 3

FAQ

Harmer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harmer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,969 people were recorded with the Harmer surname. That placed it at #1,504 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harmer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,323 in 2016. That gives Harmer a modern rank of #2,048.

What does the Harmer surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to someone who works with armor or is an armor-maker.

What does the Harmer map show?

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