NameCensus.

UK surname

Harney

Derived from the Irish surname Ó hAthairne, meaning "descendant of Athairne," a personal name of unknown meaning.

In the 1881 census there were 177 people recorded with the Harney surname, ranking it #13,889 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 646, ranked #8,212, up from #13,889 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, Gateshead and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford and Tameside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harney is 812 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 265.0%.

1881 census count

177

Ranked #13,889

Modern count

646

2016, ranked #8,212

Peak year

1861

812 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harney had 177 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,889 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 646 in 2016, ranked #8,212.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 812 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Harney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harney surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harney 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 200 #10,403
1861 historical 812 #3,388
1881 historical 177 #13,889
1891 historical 735 #5,398
1901 historical 446 #8,767
1911 historical 448 #8,538
1997 modern 669 #7,504
1998 modern 686 #7,598
1999 modern 691 #7,594
2000 modern 680 #7,660
2001 modern 670 #7,616
2002 modern 665 #7,815
2003 modern 659 #7,749
2004 modern 674 #7,634
2005 modern 672 #7,585
2006 modern 668 #7,637
2007 modern 679 #7,623
2008 modern 685 #7,609
2009 modern 689 #7,737
2010 modern 678 #7,975
2011 modern 675 #7,916
2012 modern 647 #8,103
2013 modern 667 #8,042
2014 modern 670 #8,060
2015 modern 667 #8,026
2016 modern 646 #8,212

Geography

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Where Harneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, Gateshead, Manchester, Liverpool and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bradford and Tameside. 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 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bradford 049 Bradford
2 Tameside 029 Tameside
3 Bradford 014 Bradford
4 Bradford 047 Bradford
5 Bradford 036 Bradford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harney

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Harney, 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 Harney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Harney 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Harney 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

Harney is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Harney falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Harney is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Harney, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Harney

The surname Harney is of Anglo-Norman origin and is believed to have originated in England during the 11th century. It is derived from the Old French word "harengs," which means "herrings," suggesting that the name may have been an occupational name for a fish merchant or fishmonger who dealt in herrings.

One of the earliest records of the Harney surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Hareng." This entry indicates that the name was already in use during the Norman Conquest of England in the late 11th century.

Over time, the name evolved into various spellings, including Harneye, Harney, and Herney. These variations likely emerged due to regional dialects and the inconsistencies in written records during the Middle Ages.

One notable bearer of the Harney surname was Sir John Harney (c. 1350-1412), an English soldier who served under King Henry IV and fought in the Battle of Shrewsbury in 1403. Another prominent individual was William Harney (1798-1889), a United States Army officer who served in the Mexican-American War and the Seminole Wars.

In the 16th century, the Harney family established themselves in Ireland, and the name can be found in various records from that period. One example is Sir John Harney (c. 1560-1623), an Irish landowner and Member of Parliament for County Westmeath.

Other notable figures with the Harney surname include Benjamin Morgan Harney (1827-1909), an American politician and businessman who served as the 21st Mayor of New Orleans, and William Wallace Harney (1825-1892), an American military officer who participated in the American Civil War.

Throughout history, the Harney surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Harney County in Oregon, which was named after William S. Harney, a military officer who served during the Indian Wars.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Harney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harney 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. Lancashire leads with 50 Harneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.45x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 50 2.45x
Yorkshire 26 1.53x
Cheshire 13 3.43x
Surrey 12 1.43x
Middlesex 11 0.64x
Durham 10 1.96x
Ayrshire 6 4.67x
Denbighshire 5 7.71x
Pembrokeshire 5 9.17x
Staffordshire 5 0.86x
Gloucestershire 4 1.19x
Kent 4 0.68x
Glamorgan 3 1.00x
Lincolnshire 3 1.09x
Warwickshire 3 0.69x
Northumberland 2 0.78x
Somerset 2 0.72x
Devon 1 0.28x
Essex 1 0.30x
Flintshire 1 2.17x
Hampshire 1 0.28x
Hertfordshire 1 0.85x
Lanarkshire 1 0.18x
Midlothian 1 0.43x
Monmouthshire 1 0.81x
Norfolk 1 0.38x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.43x
Renfrewshire 1 0.75x
Sussex 1 0.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Manchester in Lancashire leads with 15 Harneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.38x.

Place Total Index
Manchester 15 16.38x
Crook Billy Row 8 122.32x
Dukinfield 8 45.69x
Manningham 8 38.17x
Salford 8 13.35x
Morton In Keighley 7 522.39x
Everton 6 9.24x
Kilmarnock 6 39.24x
Southowram 6 115.61x
Croydon 5 10.77x
Paddington London 5 7.92x
Bermondsey 4 7.83x
Llanrwst 4 178.57x
Openshaw 4 41.93x
St Dogwells 4 2105.26x
West Derby 4 6.71x
Great Grimsby 3 17.22x
Stockport 3 15.38x
Thornbury 3 130.43x
Walsall Borough 3 66.67x
Wombwell 3 60.48x
Woolwich 3 13.86x
Birmingham 2 1.39x
Burnham 2 94.79x
Burton Upon Trent 2 14.75x
Earsdon 2 96.15x
Eccleston In Prescot 2 19.55x
Stretford 2 17.84x
Toxteth Park 2 2.90x
Bingley 1 9.23x
Brabourne 1 227.27x
Broughton In Salford 1 5.37x
Bulkington 1 106.38x
Cardiff St Mary 1 6.08x
Cheetham 1 6.58x
Cheshunt 1 24.15x
Chester St John Baptist 1 14.68x
Clapham 1 4.66x
Cuckfield 1 34.25x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 1.08x
Flint 1 38.17x
Fulham London 1 4.02x
Geldeston 1 588.24x
Glasgow 1 1.01x
Huddersfield 1 4.04x
Ince 1 500.00x
Iveston 1 42.55x
Kensington London 1 1.05x
Kirkdale 1 2.92x
Lambeth 1 0.67x
Lancaster 1 8.25x
Merthyr Tydfil 1 3.48x
Middle Greenock 1 27.55x
Milford Haven 1 227.27x
Monmouth 1 30.40x
Newcastle Higher 1 49.26x
Nottingham St Mary 1 1.67x
Pendleton In Salford 1 4.12x
Rochford 1 101.01x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 2.90x
St Bartholomew Less 1 113.64x
St George Hanover Square 1 3.31x
St Giles In Fields London 1 11.88x
St Marylebone London 1 1.09x
St Thomas Winchester 1 40.32x
Stapleton 1 15.65x
Stranton 1 5.82x
Whiston 1 62.89x
Wolborough 1 22.12x
Woolston With 1 333.33x
Wrexham Regis 1 20.75x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Elizabeth 7
Ellen 6
Sarah 6
Catherine 5
Hannah 4
Margaret 4
Ann 3
Annie 3
Alice 2
Charlotte 2
Emma 2
Frances 2
Levina 2
Maggie 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Rose 2
Adelade 1
Amelia 1
Bridget 1
Clara 1
Elizth 1
Grace 1
Janet 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Matilda 1
Polly 1
Rosetta 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 16
William 10
Thomas 8
James 7
Patrick 5
Francis 4
Michael 4
Daniel 3
Edward 3
George 3
Joseph 2
Martin 2
Thos. 2
Abraham 1
Alfred 1
Bernard 1
Chares 1
Cornelious 1
David 1
Dennis 1
Donny 1
Geo 1
Henry 1
M. 1
Reuben 1
Robert 1
Timothy 1

FAQ

Harney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 177 people were recorded with the Harney surname. That placed it at #13,889 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 646 in 2016. That gives Harney a modern rank of #8,212.

What does the Harney surname mean?

Derived from the Irish surname Ó hAthairne, meaning "descendant of Athairne," a personal name of unknown meaning.

What does the Harney map show?

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