NameCensus.

UK surname

Harridge

A habitational name derived from a place name meaning "hare ridge" or "ridge frequented by hares".

In the 1881 census there were 111 people recorded with the Harridge surname, ranking it #18,597 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 129, ranked #26,270, down from #18,597 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bury, London parishes and Richmond. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Colchester, Tendring and Breckland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harridge is 193 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 16.2%.

1881 census count

111

Ranked #18,597

Modern count

129

2016, ranked #26,270

Peak year

1861

193 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harridge had 111 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,597 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 129 in 2016, ranked #26,270.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 193 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Harridge surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harridge surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harridge 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 95 #17,707
1861 historical 193 #12,371
1881 historical 111 #18,597
1891 historical 181 #16,065
1901 historical 92 #23,800
1911 historical 125 #19,932
1997 modern 135 #22,499
1998 modern 139 #22,720
1999 modern 140 #22,789
2000 modern 135 #23,250
2001 modern 136 #22,855
2002 modern 141 #22,794
2003 modern 136 #23,045
2004 modern 124 #24,559
2005 modern 119 #25,193
2006 modern 123 #24,873
2007 modern 124 #25,086
2008 modern 121 #25,785
2009 modern 132 #24,929
2010 modern 146 #23,921
2011 modern 143 #24,056
2012 modern 130 #25,559
2013 modern 138 #25,020
2014 modern 135 #25,581
2015 modern 132 #25,859
2016 modern 129 #26,270

Geography

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Where Harridges are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bury, London parishes, Richmond, Alverstoke, Gosport, Rowner and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Colchester, Tendring, Breckland, Warwick and Wiltshire. 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 Bury Lancashire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Richmond Surrey
4 Alverstoke, Gosport, Rowner Hampshire
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Colchester 011 Colchester
2 Tendring 009 Tendring
3 Breckland 017 Breckland
4 Warwick 002 Warwick
5 Wiltshire 047 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harridge

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harridge

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Harridge surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Harridge household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Harridge 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

Harridge is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Harridge falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Harridge

The surname Harridge finds its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. This surname is tied to specific regions in England, primarily in the counties of Essex and Hertfordshire. Harridge is thought to be a habitational name derived from places that featured geographical elements in their original Old English names. The component "hare" could possibly refer to "hare," an animal, while the suffix "ridge" relates to a "ridge" or raised part of the landscape.

One of the earliest mentions of a similar surname is found in the medieval documents of the 13th century, wherein the spelling variations were quite numerous due to inconsistent spelling practices of the time. The Hundred Rolls of 1273, an extensive survey from the reign of King Edward I, recorded a John de Harewyk, which showcases an early variant of Harridge.

The earliest recorded example of the surname Harridge in more recognizable form hails from parish records in the late 16th century. An entry from the Parish Register of St. Nicholas, Hertfordshire, dated 1589, mentions a Thomas Haridge. This illustrates the surname's use during the Elizabethan era and its association with particular areas in England.

Throughout history, several individuals carrying the Harridge surname have been noted. One notable example is Samuel Harridge, who was born in 1625 and lived through the English Civil War period. He was a landowner in Essex and his documented transactions provide insights into the lives of land-owning gentry during that tumultuous era. Another significant figure is Reverend James Harridge, a clergyman born in 1720, who served as a vicar in Hertfordshire and contributed to the religious and social frameworks of his community.

In the realm of recorded names, Anne Harridge, born in 1803, was a known benefactor in Essex who contributed to local charitable causes, leaving a lasting mark on her community. Further into the 19th century, Benjamin Harridge, born in 1847, stood out as an industrialist in the burgeoning era of the Industrial Revolution, influencing manufacturing practices in northeastern England.

Finally, Captain Thomas Harridge, born in 1873, served with distinction in the British Army during the late Victorian and Edwardian eras, exemplifying the involvement of those bearing the Harridge name in national and military service. His records are found among military archives, detailing his service in the Second Boer War and the early years of World War I.

The name Harridge, with its linguistic roots and historical presence, represents a vivid tapestry of English heritage, documented across various centuries through land records, parish registers, and personal contributions of its bearers to society.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Harridge families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harridge 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. Middlesex leads with 25 Harridges recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.35x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 25 2.35x
Surrey 16 3.09x
Kent 14 3.86x
Nottinghamshire 8 5.58x
Lancashire 7 0.55x
Suffolk 7 5.41x
Hertfordshire 6 8.19x
Sussex 6 3.35x
Brecknockshire 4 18.81x
Warwickshire 4 1.49x
Lanarkshire 3 0.87x
Gloucestershire 2 0.96x
Norfolk 2 1.22x
Essex 1 0.48x
Hampshire 1 0.46x
Leicestershire 1 0.85x
Northamptonshire 1 1.00x
Somerset 1 0.58x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Basford in Nottinghamshire leads with 8 Harridges recorded in 1881 and an index of 121.21x.

Place Total Index
Basford 8 121.21x
Ipswich St Clement 7 212.77x
Snodland 7 679.61x
Hammersmith London 6 22.91x
Bethnal Green London 5 10.83x
Richmond 5 68.87x
West Hoathly 5 892.86x
Birmingham 4 4.48x
Brecknock St John 4 223.46x
Chatham 4 40.08x
Kensington London 4 6.77x
Walton On Thames 4 168.07x
Barony 3 3.45x
Clerkenwell London 3 11.96x
Coulsdon 3 319.15x
Elton 3 68.81x
Hemel Hempstead 3 90.91x
Sandwich St Clement 3 967.74x
Berkhampstead 2 121.21x
Bristol St Paul In 2 36.04x
Great Yarmouth 2 14.77x
Preston 2 5.93x
Ash Normandy 1 142.86x
Broughton In Salford 1 8.67x
Chipping Barnet 1 78.13x
Croydon 1 3.48x
Hastings St Mary In The 1 26.18x
Hawkwell 1 1000.00x
Liverpool 1 1.31x
Loughborough 1 18.69x
Northampton All Sts 1 29.50x
Paddington London 1 2.56x
Portsea 1 2.34x
Shoreditch London 1 2.17x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 21.74x
St George Hanover Square 1 5.34x
St Giles In Fields London 1 19.16x
St Martin In Fields 1 15.72x
Stoke 1 40.98x
Weston Super Mare 1 23.15x
Willesden 1 9.98x
Wotton 1 400.00x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 7
James 5
John 4
William 4
David 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Joseph 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Arthr. 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Edgar 1
Edward 1
Frances 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
J. 1
Reginald 1
Richard 1
Richd. 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Thomas 1

FAQ

Harridge surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harridge surname in 1881?

In 1881, 111 people were recorded with the Harridge surname. That placed it at #18,597 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harridge surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 129 in 2016. That gives Harridge a modern rank of #26,270.

What does the Harridge surname mean?

A habitational name derived from a place name meaning "hare ridge" or "ridge frequented by hares".

What does the Harridge map show?

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