NameCensus.

UK surname

Harpham

A toponymic surname denoting someone from a place named Harpham in Yorkshire.

In the 1881 census there were 410 people recorded with the Harpham surname, ranking it #7,833 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 525, ranked #9,654, down from #7,833 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Basford, Burgh-in-the-Marsh and Hull Holy Trinity. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ashfield, East Lindsey and South Holland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harpham is 605 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.0%.

1881 census count

410

Ranked #7,833

Modern count

525

2016, ranked #9,654

Peak year

1901

605 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harpham had 410 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,833 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 525 in 2016, ranked #9,654.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 605 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Harpham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harpham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harpham 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 271 #8,257
1861 historical 333 #7,646
1881 historical 410 #7,833
1891 historical 535 #7,026
1901 historical 605 #7,027
1911 historical 595 #6,883
1997 modern 551 #8,644
1998 modern 542 #9,028
1999 modern 547 #9,024
2000 modern 530 #9,211
2001 modern 519 #9,204
2002 modern 542 #9,074
2003 modern 527 #9,137
2004 modern 532 #9,083
2005 modern 527 #9,099
2006 modern 533 #9,044
2007 modern 530 #9,144
2008 modern 523 #9,316
2009 modern 528 #9,453
2010 modern 530 #9,632
2011 modern 544 #9,358
2012 modern 528 #9,482
2013 modern 536 #9,535
2014 modern 534 #9,613
2015 modern 530 #9,605
2016 modern 525 #9,654

Geography

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Where Harphams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Basford, Burgh-in-the-Marsh, Hull Holy Trinity, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Nottingham St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ashfield, East Lindsey and South Holland. 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 Basford Nottinghamshire
2 Burgh-in-the-Marsh Lincolnshire
3 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
5 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ashfield 011 Ashfield
2 Ashfield 006 Ashfield
3 East Lindsey 008 East Lindsey
4 South Holland 007 South Holland
5 South Holland 008 South Holland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harpham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harpham

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Harpham is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Harpham 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

Harpham 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 Harpham is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Harpham

The surname Harpham is of English origin, derived from the name of a hamlet in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. This place name is believed to have been derived from the Old English words "heorp" meaning a ploughed field, and "ham" meaning a homestead or village.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Harpham dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Harpham." This suggests that the name was already in use by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In the 13th century, records show variations of the name such as "Harpham," "Harphame," and "Harpeham." These variations likely arose due to differences in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was William de Harpham, a landowner in Yorkshire who lived in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. He is mentioned in various records related to land transactions and legal disputes.

Another notable figure was Sir John Harpham, a member of the English gentry who lived in the 14th century. He served as a knight and held lands in Yorkshire.

In the 15th century, the name appears in records related to the town of Harpham in Yorkshire, suggesting a connection between the surname and the place name.

During the 16th century, a notable bearer of the name was Robert Harpham, a merchant and landowner in Lincolnshire, England. He was born around 1530 and lived until the early 17th century.

In the 17th century, William Harpham, born in 1620, was a prominent Puritan minister who served as a chaplain in the English Civil War and later became a rector in Lincolnshire.

In the 19th century, Reverend George Harpham, born in 1830, was a Church of England clergyman who served as a rector in Yorkshire and authored several religious works.

Throughout its history, the surname Harpham has been associated with various locations in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, reflecting its origins as a place name. While not as widespread as some other English surnames, it has been carried by notable individuals across various professions and time periods.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Harpham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harpham 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 116 Harphams recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.57x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 116 21.57x
Lincolnshire 99 15.52x
Yorkshire 92 2.33x
Lancashire 30 0.63x
Middlesex 30 0.75x
Derbyshire 18 2.88x
Leicestershire 6 1.36x
Suffolk 5 1.03x
Somerset 3 0.47x
Hertfordshire 2 0.73x
Surrey 2 0.10x
Berkshire 1 0.33x
Hampshire 1 0.12x
Kent 1 0.07x
Norfolk 1 0.16x
Rutland 1 3.41x
Sussex 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tibshelf in Derbyshire leads with 18 Harphams recorded in 1881 and an index of 588.24x.

Place Total Index
Tibshelf 18 588.24x
Selston 17 282.86x
East Stockwith 13 2954.55x
Islington London 13 3.36x
Leeds 12 5.38x
Holy Trinity 11 11.57x
Upton 11 3333.33x
Chelsea London 10 8.32x
Sheffield 10 7.94x
Corringham 9 882.35x
Alford 8 202.53x
Dunham 8 2162.16x
Keighley 8 18.98x
Nottingham St Mary 8 5.75x
Nottingham St Nicholas 8 109.29x
Spalding 8 63.19x
Whaplode 8 368.66x
Broughton In Salford 7 16.17x
Burgh In Marsh 7 451.61x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 7 138.34x
Ecclesfield 7 24.15x
Manchester 7 3.29x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 6 16.29x
Basford 6 24.20x
Dishley Cum Thorpacre 6 2068.97x
Hunslet 6 9.73x
Openshaw 6 27.06x
Rawmarsh 6 42.95x
Wrangle 6 377.36x
Brightside Bierlow 5 6.45x
Carlton In Lindrick 5 349.65x
Hucknall Torkard 5 36.66x
Trusthorpe 5 1086.96x
Blidworth Haywood 4 689.66x
Harthill Cum Woodall 4 264.90x
Letwell 4 2500.00x
Ollerton 4 357.14x
Ragnall 4 1600.00x
St Botolph Lincoln 4 87.15x
Timberland 4 579.71x
Weston 4 833.33x
Bottesford 3 638.30x
Bridgewater 3 17.21x
Burringham 3 405.41x
Catcliffe 3 535.71x
East Retford 3 64.24x
Great Grimsby 3 7.41x
Ipswich St Mathew 3 22.03x
Laxton 3 454.55x
Radford 3 10.98x
Skegby 3 91.19x
South Collingham 3 283.02x
Toynton All Sts 3 652.17x
Wellow 3 600.00x
Willingham 3 476.19x
Beverley St Mary 2 34.66x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 2 14.79x
Blyton 2 208.33x
Glentham 2 357.14x
Ipswich St Margaret 2 12.13x
Paddington London 2 1.36x
Ruddington 2 55.40x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 2.49x
Upper Broughton 2 444.44x
Willesden 2 5.32x
Worksop 2 12.54x
Chipping Barnet 1 20.79x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 1.24x
Kensington London 1 0.45x
Kexby 1 227.27x
Kirkby In Ashfield 1 17.39x
Mansfield 1 5.37x
Newchurch 1 2.58x
Norwell 1 178.57x
Plumstead 1 2.20x
Portsea 1 0.62x
Scotter 1 68.49x
Sculcoates 1 1.60x
Sutton 1 196.08x
Swineshead 1 47.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 20
Sarah 19
Elizabeth 18
Annie 10
Emma 10
Ann 9
Emily 8
Jane 7
Charlotte 6
Edith 6
Louisa 6
Ada 5
Maria 5
Martha 5
Alice 4
Eliza 4
Florence 4
Hannah 4
Ellen 3
Fanny 3
Ruth 3
Betsy 2
Elizth. 2
Frances 2
Harriet 2
Kate 2
Lavinia 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Dorindo 1
Elizebth. 1
Elizh. 1
Ethel 1
Ethelwyn 1
Evylan 1
Flora 1
Hilda 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Lilian 1
Lilly 1
Lily 1
Lizzie 1
Lottie 1
Lucie 1
Ursula 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 38
William 33
George 25
Thomas 10
Edward 7
Charles 6
Alfred 5
Henry 5
Joseph 5
Samuel 5
Walter 5
Frank 4
Albert 3
Arthur 3
Ernest 3
Herbert 3
Richard 3
Wm. 3
Francis 2
Harry 2
James 2
Martin 2
Thos. 2
Culy 1
David 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Freeman 1
Geo. 1
Harold 1
Hy. 1
Jabez 1
Lionel 1
Percival 1
Robert 1
Robt.Henry 1
Rowland 1
Stanley 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Harpham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harpham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 410 people were recorded with the Harpham surname. That placed it at #7,833 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harpham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 525 in 2016. That gives Harpham a modern rank of #9,654.

What does the Harpham surname mean?

A toponymic surname denoting someone from a place named Harpham in Yorkshire.

What does the Harpham map show?

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