NameCensus.

UK surname

Harmston

Originally a locative surname derived from the place name Harmston in Lincolnshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 248 people recorded with the Harmston surname, ranking it #11,140 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 210, ranked #18,965, down from #11,140 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lincoln St Botolph, Falkingham and Pittington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sheffield, Test Valley and Windsor and Maidenhead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harmston is 359 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 15.3%.

1881 census count

248

Ranked #11,140

Modern count

210

2016, ranked #18,965

Peak year

1911

359 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harmston had 248 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,140 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 210 in 2016, ranked #18,965.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 359 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Harmston surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harmston surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harmston 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 197 #10,535
1861 historical 185 #12,799
1881 historical 248 #11,140
1891 historical 295 #11,255
1901 historical 317 #11,213
1911 historical 359 #10,084
1997 modern 261 #14,849
1998 modern 265 #15,087
1999 modern 270 #14,992
2000 modern 271 #14,910
2001 modern 260 #15,113
2002 modern 255 #15,599
2003 modern 259 #15,254
2004 modern 248 #15,779
2005 modern 239 #16,144
2006 modern 231 #16,636
2007 modern 230 #16,890
2008 modern 225 #17,282
2009 modern 230 #17,382
2010 modern 226 #17,942
2011 modern 225 #17,841
2012 modern 231 #17,448
2013 modern 221 #18,252
2014 modern 221 #18,412
2015 modern 214 #18,712
2016 modern 210 #18,965

Geography

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Where Harmstons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lincoln St Botolph, Falkingham, Pittington, Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton and Sleaford, New. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sheffield, Test Valley, Windsor and Maidenhead, County Durham and Charnwood. 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 Lincoln St Botolph Lincolnshire
2 Falkingham Lincolnshire
3 Pittington Durham
4 Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton Nottinghamshire
5 Sleaford, New Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sheffield 076 Sheffield
2 Test Valley 001 Test Valley
3 Windsor and Maidenhead 018 Windsor and Maidenhead
4 County Durham 038 County Durham
5 Charnwood 006 Charnwood

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harmston

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harmston

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

Harmston 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

Harmston falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Harmston

The surname HARMSTON is of English origin, derived from the place name Harmston, a village and civil parish in Lincolnshire, England. The name is believed to have originated in the Anglo-Saxon era, with the earliest recorded spelling being Hermestone in the Domesday Book of 1086.

The name Harmston is thought to be derived from the Old English words "haeran" meaning "army" and "tun" meaning "farm" or "settlement". This suggests that the original settlement may have been established by a group of soldiers or warriors.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname HARMSTON can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from the year 1195, where a person named Robert de Hermestone is mentioned. This indicates that the surname was already well-established by the 12th century.

During the 14th century, the surname HARMSTON appeared in various records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1327, where a John de Harmeston is listed. This provides evidence of the surname's continued use and spread throughout the region.

Notable individuals with the surname HARMSTON include Sir William Harmston (1556-1623), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Lincolnshire in the early 17th century. Another prominent figure was Thomas Harmston (1678-1742), an English clergyman and author who published several works on theology and philosophy.

Other historical figures bearing the HARMSTON surname include Robert Harmston (1720-1795), a British soldier who served in the American Revolutionary War, and John Harmston (1802-1879), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in London and other parts of England.

In the 19th century, a notable bearer of the HARMSTON name was William Harmston (1831-1908), an English painter and illustrator known for his depictions of rural life and landscapes.

These examples illustrate the longevity and significance of the HARMSTON surname throughout English history, originating from a specific place name and evolving over the centuries to be associated with individuals from various walks of life.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Harmston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harmston 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. Lincolnshire leads with 128 Harmstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.09x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 128 33.09x
Yorkshire 34 1.42x
Nottinghamshire 28 8.59x
Lancashire 14 0.49x
Middlesex 13 0.54x
Surrey 8 0.68x
Essex 6 1.26x
Norfolk 4 1.08x
Durham 3 0.42x
Cheshire 2 0.37x
Derbyshire 2 0.53x
Monmouthshire 2 1.14x
Shropshire 2 0.96x
Northamptonshire 1 0.44x
Rutland 1 5.63x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newark Upon Trent in Nottinghamshire leads with 19 Harmstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 162.12x.

Place Total Index
Newark Upon Trent 19 162.12x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 14 257.35x
Helpringham 12 1538.46x
Billingborough 9 918.37x
Sheffield 9 11.79x
Marston 8 3200.00x
Nottingham St Mary 8 9.49x
Grantham 7 138.89x
Stamford St Michael 7 636.36x
Tottenham 7 18.17x
Leeds 6 4.43x
Leyton Low 6 61.79x
South Rauceby 6 1875.00x
Woolsthorpe 6 1200.00x
Bradford 5 37.20x
Holbeck 5 31.49x
New Sealford 5 625.00x
Battersea 4 4.49x
Boston 4 34.07x
Brightside Bierlow 4 8.51x
Chelsham 4 1081.08x
Folkingham 4 833.33x
Kensington London 4 2.97x
Somerby In Grantham 4 408.16x
South Lynn 4 95.24x
Bardney 3 260.87x
Caythorpe 3 405.41x
Little Hale 3 1000.00x
Old Malton 3 198.68x
Oldham 3 3.24x
Sherburn 3 136.99x
Swarby 3 2142.86x
Warrington 3 8.82x
Ancaster 2 370.37x
Fulbeck 2 377.36x
Great Hale 2 338.98x
Gt Ness 2 370.37x
Harrowby Grantham 2 714.29x
Heeley 2 27.47x
Hougham 2 909.09x
Manthorpe Cum Little 2 67.57x
Nether Hallam 2 6.17x
Pendleton In Salford 2 5.85x
Skipton 2 26.53x
Spittlegate 2 37.38x
St George Hanover Square 2 4.69x
St Michael Lincoln 2 190.48x
Stockport 2 7.28x
Sutterton 2 259.74x
Trevethin 2 12.11x
Atherton 1 9.57x
Aunsby 1 833.33x
Barnwell All Sts 1 909.09x
Barrow On Humber 1 44.64x
Chesterfield 1 7.04x
Coleby 1 277.78x
Cottesmore 1 294.12x
Deeping St Nicholas 1 88.50x
Glossop Dale 1 5.64x
Hacconby 1 294.12x
Heckington 1 68.03x
Kirkby La Thorpe 1 476.19x
New Sleaford 1 40.32x
Papplewick 1 370.37x
Sculcoates 1 2.63x
Skirbeck 1 46.08x
St Swithin Lincoln 1 16.45x
Swineshead 1 78.74x
Willoughton 1 232.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 22
Sarah 18
Elizabeth 11
Alice 7
Ann 7
Annie 7
Emma 5
Eliza 4
Lucy 4
Charlotte 3
Emily 3
Florence 3
Bertha 2
Clara 2
Ellen 2
Grace 2
Louisa 2
Lydia 2
Rebecca 2
Ruth 2
Ada 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Beatrice 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Christina 1
Dinah 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elisth. 1
Elizth. 1
Fanny 1
Gertrude 1
Harriett 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Lizzie 1
Lucey 1
M.Ann 1
Maria 1
Mariah 1
Martha 1
Maude 1
Naomi 1
Nellie 1
Nellye 1
Rose 1
Tryfacia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 18
William 13
Edward 9
Charles 8
Thomas 8
Richard 6
George 5
James 4
Joseph 4
Robert 4
Arthur 3
Walter 3
Frederick 2
Henry 2
Jesse 2
Wm. 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Carles 1
Copeland 1
David 1
Edwd. 1
Frank 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
J. 1
Luke 1
Silvester 1
Sylvester 1
Thos.Hy. 1
Watson 1

FAQ

Harmston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harmston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 248 people were recorded with the Harmston surname. That placed it at #11,140 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harmston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 210 in 2016. That gives Harmston a modern rank of #18,965.

What does the Harmston surname mean?

Originally a locative surname derived from the place name Harmston in Lincolnshire, England.

What does the Harmston map show?

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