NameCensus.

UK surname

Harrison

An English patronymic surname meaning "son of Harry" or "son of Henry."

In the 1881 census there were 66,207 people recorded with the Harrison surname, ranking it #33 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 89,960, ranked #39, down from #33 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale, Scarborough and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harrison is 93,251 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.9%.

1881 census count

66,207

Ranked #33

Modern count

89,960

2016, ranked #39

Peak year

1999

93,251 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harrison had 66,207 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 89,960 in 2016, ranked #39.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 89,176 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Harrison surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harrison surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harrison 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 41,656 #40
1861 historical 44,856 #38
1881 historical 66,207 #33
1891 historical 71,421 #33
1901 historical 82,624 #34
1911 historical 89,176 #32
1997 modern 88,868 #38
1998 modern 92,377 #38
1999 modern 93,251 #38
2000 modern 92,720 #38
2001 modern 90,419 #38
2002 modern 92,253 #38
2003 modern 90,026 #38
2004 modern 89,711 #38
2005 modern 88,352 #38
2006 modern 88,138 #38
2007 modern 88,696 #38
2008 modern 89,057 #38
2009 modern 91,087 #38
2010 modern 92,829 #38
2011 modern 91,626 #38
2012 modern 89,607 #39
2013 modern 91,349 #39
2014 modern 91,808 #39
2015 modern 90,709 #39
2016 modern 89,960 #39

Geography

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Where Harrisons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Gateshead, Manchester and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale, Scarborough, Leeds and Derbyshire Dales. 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 3
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 001 Allerdale
2 Allerdale 003 Allerdale
3 Scarborough 002 Scarborough
4 Leeds 110 Leeds
5 Derbyshire Dales 009 Derbyshire Dales

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harrison

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harrison

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Harrison 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

Harrison 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

Harrison 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 Harrison 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 Harrison, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Harrison

The surname Harrison is an English patronymic name derived from the given name Harry, which is a medieval diminutive form of Henry. The name Harry itself is derived from the Old French name Henri, which comes from the Old German name Heimrich, meaning "home-ruler."

The earliest recorded instance of the Harrison surname dates back to the late 12th century. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Roger Haresun, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1195. The name was also found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Norfolk in 1275, where it was spelled as Harysone.

During the Middle Ages, the Harrison surname was particularly prevalent in the northern counties of England, particularly in Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Northumberland. The name was also found in various forms, such as Harrysone, Harryson, and Hareson, reflecting the regional variations in spelling and pronunciation.

One notable historical figure with the Harrison surname was John Harrison (1693-1776), an English clockmaker who revolutionized navigation by inventing the marine chronometer, a device that enabled accurate measurement of longitude at sea. His invention played a crucial role in the expansion of maritime trade and exploration.

Another prominent figure was William Henry Harrison (1773-1841), the ninth President of the United States. He was a distinguished military officer and politician, serving as the first governor of the Indiana Territory and later becoming the President in 1841, though his term was tragically cut short after just 32 days due to illness.

In the literary world, Jane Austen's famous novel "Sense and Sensibility" featured a character named Colonel Brandon, whose full name was Christopher Brandon Harrison. The novel was published in 1811 and provided a glimpse into the social dynamics of the Georgian era in England.

Another notable Harrison was Frederic Harrison (1831-1923), an English philosopher, jurist, and writer. He was a leading figure in the positivist movement and authored several influential works, including "The Choice of Books" and "The Meaning of History."

Lastly, the Harrison surname has been associated with several notable musicians, including the late George Harrison (1943-2001), the lead guitarist and songwriter for the legendary rock band The Beatles. His contributions to the band's music and the cultural landscape of the 1960s cannot be overstated.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Harrison families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harrison 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. Yorkshire leads with 13,770 Harrisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.14x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 13,770 2.14x
Lancashire 13,369 1.74x
Middlesex 4,287 0.66x
Durham 3,923 2.03x
Staffordshire 3,207 1.47x
Derbyshire 2,410 2.37x
Cheshire 2,327 1.63x
Lincolnshire 2,153 2.08x
Warwickshire 2,099 1.28x
Surrey 2,028 0.64x
Nottinghamshire 1,636 1.87x
Northumberland 1,462 1.52x
Cumberland 1,256 2.25x
Kent 1,244 0.56x
Leicestershire 1,002 1.39x
Norfolk 828 0.83x
Worcestershire 808 0.95x
Gloucestershire 696 0.55x
Hampshire 633 0.48x
Westmorland 624 4.38x
Essex 527 0.41x
Lanarkshire 524 0.25x
Northamptonshire 484 0.79x
Somerset 339 0.32x
Sussex 325 0.30x
Shropshire 294 0.52x
Glamorgan 263 0.23x
Wiltshire 244 0.43x
Suffolk 238 0.30x
Midlothian 225 0.26x
Denbighshire 210 0.86x
Berkshire 207 0.43x
Hertfordshire 207 0.46x
Isle of Man 202 1.68x
Bedfordshire 189 0.56x
Cambridgeshire 183 0.45x
Devon 158 0.12x
Oxfordshire 142 0.35x
Flintshire 133 0.76x
Renfrewshire 130 0.26x
Buckinghamshire 119 0.30x
Herefordshire 114 0.43x
Ayrshire 113 0.23x
Dorset 85 0.20x
Rutland 80 1.68x
Shetland 78 1.18x
Huntingdonshire 76 0.59x
Monmouthshire 75 0.16x
Angus 73 0.12x
Stirlingshire 66 0.28x
Aberdeenshire 49 0.08x
Montgomeryshire 49 0.33x
Royal Navy 42 0.54x
Channel Islands 41 0.21x
Dunbartonshire 34 0.20x
Wigtownshire 34 0.39x
Pembrokeshire 33 0.16x
Caernarfonshire 31 0.12x
Clackmannanshire 29 0.54x
Kirkcudbrightshire 24 0.26x
Cornwall 23 0.03x
Argyllshire 22 0.12x
West Lothian 22 0.23x
Brecknockshire 17 0.13x
Dumfriesshire 17 0.12x
Perthshire 15 0.05x
Fife 14 0.04x
Inverness-shire 14 0.07x
Carmarthenshire 13 0.05x
Merionethshire 13 0.11x
Buteshire 12 0.31x
Morayshire 12 0.12x
Anglesey 9 0.08x
Roxburghshire 8 0.07x
East Lothian 7 0.08x
Kincardineshire 7 0.09x
Caithness 4 0.05x
Cardiganshire 4 0.03x
Ross-shire 3 0.02x
Banffshire 1 0.01x
Berwickshire 1 0.01x
Orkney 1 0.01x
Peeblesshire 1 0.03x
Radnorshire 1 0.02x
Selkirkshire 1 0.02x
Sutherland 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 776 Harrisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.14x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 776 2.14x
Birmingham 650 1.19x
Aston 604 1.34x
Preston 571 2.77x
Liverpool 455 0.97x
Everton 442 1.80x
Blackburn 437 2.13x
Manchester 426 1.23x
Nottingham St Mary 423 1.87x
Holy Trinity 418 2.70x
Oldham 409 1.65x
Islington London 406 0.65x
Lambeth 377 0.67x
Stoke Upon Trent 376 1.62x
Bradford 374 2.40x
St Pancras London 370 0.71x
Sheffield 362 1.77x
Hulme 348 2.17x
Sculcoates 307 3.01x
Toxteth Park 304 1.17x
Camberwell 296 0.71x
Hackney London 294 0.81x
Kensington London 289 0.80x
Bishopwearmouth 283 1.71x
Ecclesall Bierlow 278 2.13x
West Derby 269 1.19x
Salford 256 1.13x
Gateshead 238 1.65x
Burnley 237 3.66x
Hunslet 221 2.21x
Ashton Under Lyne 212 1.26x
Darlington 208 2.79x
St Marylebone London 196 0.57x
Stockton On Tees 196 2.11x
Bethnal Green London 194 0.69x
Hyde 194 4.59x
Horton In Bradford 188 1.87x
Wigan 187 1.74x
Derby St Werburgh 184 3.14x
Leicester St Margaret 181 1.03x
Stranton 181 2.79x
Shoreditch London 179 0.64x
Nether Hallam 178 2.05x
Barnsley 177 2.67x
West Ham 177 0.63x
Chorlton On Medlock 174 1.42x
Walsall Foreign 173 1.53x
Westoe 172 1.57x
Scarborough 171 2.93x
West Bromwich 171 1.36x
Bowling 166 2.61x
Birkenhead 163 1.43x
Manningham 163 2.06x
Brightside Bierlow 160 1.27x
Kirkdale 158 1.22x
Habergham Eaves 157 2.23x
Windle 156 3.60x
Keighley 154 2.25x
Newington 154 0.64x
Stanhope 154 7.73x
Gorton 153 2.12x
Belper 148 7.52x
Dukinfield 147 2.22x
Southcoates 147 4.12x
Widnes 145 2.61x
Great Bolton 144 1.41x
Mile End Old Town London 142 1.03x
Battersea 141 0.59x
Spotland 140 1.64x
Kendal 139 5.33x
Warrington 138 1.51x
Burton Upon Trent 136 2.66x
Accrington 134 1.92x
Barrow In Furness 133 1.27x
Wolverhampton 133 0.79x
St George Hanover Square 132 1.16x
Lancaster 131 2.86x
St Luke London 131 1.26x
Glossop Dale 130 2.73x
Newchurch 130 2.07x
Pendleton In Salford 130 1.42x
Stockport 130 1.76x
Ardwick 129 1.86x
Wortley In Bramley 129 2.53x
Barony 128 0.24x
Hammersmith London 126 0.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4,699
Elizabeth 2,719
Sarah 2,398
Jane 1,565
Ann 1,461
Annie 959
Alice 952
Margaret 925
Ellen 898
Hannah 888
Emma 819
Eliza 810
Martha 672
Emily 611
Harriet 409
Ada 373
Fanny 363
Edith 360
Maria 353
Isabella 343
Louisa 333
Catherine 326
Charlotte 306
Florence 306
Frances 272
Clara 262
Lucy 262
Agnes 245
Caroline 243
Anne 241
Kate 234
Esther 188
Susannah 148
Eleanor 145
Harriett 143
Rebecca 143
Susan 141
Amelia 133
Elizth. 128
Amy 126
Matilda 126
Ruth 122
Rose 116
Gertrude 111
Betsy 108
Rachel 104
Ethel 102
Sophia 98
Julia 90
Minnie 90

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4,446
William 3,968
Thomas 2,561
George 2,144
James 1,994
Joseph 1,420
Henry 1,172
Charles 1,039
Robert 967
Edward 669
Richard 665
Samuel 621
Arthur 548
Alfred 483
Walter 448
Frederick 442
Albert 325
Herbert 280
Harry 250
Frank 244
Francis 223
Wm. 216
Ernest 203
Edwin 200
David 182
Benjamin 178
Thos. 174
Peter 157
Fred 146
Tom 142
Isaac 132
Ralph 114
Stephen 99
Geo. 98
Daniel 95
Matthew 93
Abraham 86
Christopher 85
Mark 66
Michael 64
Fredrick 63
Chas. 61
Fredk. 59
Percy 57
Jonathan 56
Alexander 52
Robt. 51
Willm. 51
Hugh 46
Jno. 46

FAQ

Harrison surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harrison surname in 1881?

In 1881, 66,207 people were recorded with the Harrison surname. That placed it at #33 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harrison surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 89,960 in 2016. That gives Harrison a modern rank of #39.

What does the Harrison surname mean?

An English patronymic surname meaning "son of Harry" or "son of Henry."

What does the Harrison map show?

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