NameCensus.

UK surname

Harnden

A toponymic surname derived from a location in Wiltshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 241 people recorded with the Harnden surname, ranking it #11,374 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 247, ranked #16,955, down from #11,374 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Malborough and Glen Magna. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Devon, Stroud and South Derbyshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harnden is 344 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.5%.

1881 census count

241

Ranked #11,374

Modern count

247

2016, ranked #16,955

Peak year

1911

344 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harnden had 241 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,374 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 247 in 2016, ranked #16,955.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 344 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Harnden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harnden surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harnden 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 185 #11,077
1861 historical 146 #15,628
1881 historical 241 #11,374
1891 historical 240 #13,123
1901 historical 288 #11,973
1911 historical 344 #10,386
1997 modern 283 #14,037
1998 modern 288 #14,249
1999 modern 290 #14,281
2000 modern 281 #14,567
2001 modern 274 #14,576
2002 modern 284 #14,524
2003 modern 271 #14,787
2004 modern 277 #14,644
2005 modern 265 #15,048
2006 modern 260 #15,329
2007 modern 264 #15,344
2008 modern 259 #15,688
2009 modern 269 #15,589
2010 modern 269 #15,935
2011 modern 260 #16,188
2012 modern 246 #16,702
2013 modern 255 #16,551
2014 modern 256 #16,643
2015 modern 249 #16,858
2016 modern 247 #16,955

Geography

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Where Harndens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Malborough and Glen Magna. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Devon, Stroud, South Derbyshire and Forest of Dean. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Malborough Devon
4 Glen Magna Leicestershire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Devon 020 East Devon
2 Stroud 011 Stroud
3 South Derbyshire 006 South Derbyshire
4 Forest of Dean 003 Forest of Dean
5 Stroud 005 Stroud

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harnden

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harnden

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Harnden, 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 Harnden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Harnden 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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Harnden is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Harnden is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Harnden falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Harnden

The surname Harnden is of English origin, originating in the county of Hampshire in southern England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "hara," meaning "hare," and "denu," meaning "valley" or "dell." Therefore, the name likely referred to a geographic location or a place inhabited by hares.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Harnden can be found in various medieval documents and records. One such reference is in the Subsidy Rolls of Hampshire from 1334, which mention a John de Harendon. This early spelling variation, "Harendon," closely resembles the modern form of the surname.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1558, where a Thomas Harnden is mentioned. This record suggests that the name had spread to other regions of England by this time.

Notable individuals with the surname Harnden include Richard Harnden, a British army officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and was captured at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781. Another prominent figure was John Harnden (1810-1854), an American entrepreneur who founded the first express mail service in the United States.

In the 19th century, James Harnden (1816-1877) was a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Canadian House of Commons. Additionally, Robert Harnden (1844-1930) was a British architect known for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Academy of Music.

The surname Harnden is also associated with place names in England. For instance, the village of Harnden in Hampshire likely derived its name from the surname, reflecting the historical presence of the Harnden family in the area.

While the surname Harnden is not among the most common in English-speaking countries, it has a rich history rooted in the medieval period and is tied to the geographic origins of the name in southern England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Harnden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harnden 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. Kent leads with 102 Harndens recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.72x.

County Total Index
Kent 102 12.72x
Middlesex 40 1.70x
Devon 24 4.90x
Hampshire 15 3.11x
Lancashire 15 0.54x
Sussex 13 3.28x
Surrey 12 1.05x
Leicestershire 7 2.69x
Yorkshire 6 0.26x
Lincolnshire 5 1.33x
Cheshire 1 0.19x
Royal Navy 1 3.57x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Malborough in Devon leads with 21 Harndens recorded in 1881 and an index of 1082.47x.

Place Total Index
Malborough 21 1082.47x
Chatham 20 90.62x
Islington London 17 7.46x
Mersham 15 2586.21x
Great Crosby 13 170.83x
Portsea 13 13.77x
Bow London 12 40.09x
Canterbury St Mary 10 185.87x
Minster In Sheppey 9 67.72x
Aylestone 7 339.81x
Rye 7 185.68x
Camberwell 6 4.00x
Richmond 6 164.84x
Sittingbourne 6 94.79x
Ash Next Sandwich 5 282.49x
Ashford 5 64.02x
Clee With Weelsby 5 60.75x
Canterbury St Dunstan 4 289.86x
Kensington London 4 3.06x
Milton In Milton 4 117.30x
Cheriton 3 91.74x
Felpham 3 652.17x
St Marylebone London 3 2.39x
Bermondsey 2 2.86x
Brabourne 2 333.33x
Christchurch 2 19.14x
Goodnestone In Eastry 2 625.00x
Herne 2 56.34x
Kingsbridge 2 162.60x
Kingsnorth 2 408.16x
Lambeth 2 0.98x
Lindfield 2 119.05x
Sevenoaks 2 30.77x
Shoreditch London 2 1.96x
Strood 2 43.67x
Upper Hardres 2 833.33x
Willesborough 2 92.59x
Barham 1 121.95x
Canterbury St Margaret 1 232.56x
Canterbury St Mildred 1 52.63x
East Portlemouth 1 400.00x
Everton 1 1.12x
Newington 1 1.15x
Oxton 1 34.13x
Royal Navy 1 4.18x
Southwark St Olave 1 55.87x
St Anne Soho London 1 7.45x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.41x
St Lawrence 1 18.15x
Stockbury 1 200.00x
Upper Beeding 1 204.08x
West Derby 1 1.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Elizabeth 9
Emily 8
Edith 7
Catherine 5
Louisa 5
Sarah 5
Annie 4
Caroline 4
Eliza 4
Ellen 4
Emma 4
Martha 4
Alice 3
Amelia 3
Ann 3
Jessie 3
Anne 2
Charlotte 2
Ethel 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Francis 2
Harriet 2
Henrietta 2
Jane 2
Laura 2
Minnie 2
Teresa 2
Amy 1
Carry 1
D. 1
Eleanor 1
Esther 1
F. 1
Hannah 1
Hariet 1
Harriette 1
Henretta 1
Isabel 1
Kate 1
Kathleen 1
Lilian 1
Lillian 1
Lily 1
Lottie 1
M. 1
Mabel 1
Maria 1
Venus 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 14
George 11
Charles 10
John 10
Henry 9
Frederick 4
Alfred 3
Edwin 3
James 3
Joseph 3
Harry 2
Richard 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Alfd. 1
Allan 1
Cecil 1
Chares 1
D. 1
David 1
Edward 1
Francis 1
Fredk 1
Harold 1
Jacob 1
Marcus 1
Sampson 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Sydney 1
W. 1
Willis 1

FAQ

Harnden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harnden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 241 people were recorded with the Harnden surname. That placed it at #11,374 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harnden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 247 in 2016. That gives Harnden a modern rank of #16,955.

What does the Harnden surname mean?

A toponymic surname derived from a location in Wiltshire, England.

What does the Harnden map show?

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