NameCensus.

UK surname

Harriss

English surname derived from the given name Harry, a medieval diminutive of Henry.

In the 1881 census there were 1,958 people recorded with the Harriss surname, ranking it #2,240 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 707, ranked #7,653, down from #2,240 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Oakley, Shabbington, London parishes and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Great Yarmouth, Swale and North Kesteven.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harriss is 2,705 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 63.9%.

1881 census count

1,958

Ranked #2,240

Modern count

707

2016, ranked #7,653

Peak year

1851

2,705 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harriss had 1,958 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,240 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 707 in 2016, ranked #7,653.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,705 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Harriss surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harriss surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harriss 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 2,705 #1,091
1861 historical 1,991 #1,460
1881 historical 1,958 #2,240
1891 historical 1,427 #3,059
1901 historical 1,612 #3,211
1911 historical 1,290 #3,693
1997 modern 677 #7,438
1998 modern 759 #7,030
1999 modern 742 #7,208
2000 modern 766 #6,986
2001 modern 751 #6,980
2002 modern 758 #7,055
2003 modern 746 #7,049
2004 modern 745 #7,058
2005 modern 725 #7,131
2006 modern 704 #7,318
2007 modern 695 #7,467
2008 modern 696 #7,521
2009 modern 709 #7,568
2010 modern 724 #7,587
2011 modern 719 #7,537
2012 modern 695 #7,649
2013 modern 716 #7,605
2014 modern 710 #7,687
2015 modern 708 #7,652
2016 modern 707 #7,653

Geography

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Where Harriss' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Oakley, Shabbington, London parishes, Lambeth and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Great Yarmouth, Swale, North Kesteven and New Forest. 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 Oakley, Shabbington Oxfordshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Great Yarmouth 002 Great Yarmouth
2 Swale 007 Swale
3 Swale 008 Swale
4 North Kesteven 010 North Kesteven
5 New Forest 016 New Forest

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harriss

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harriss

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Harriss is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Harriss is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Harriss

The surname Harriss originated in England, likely derived from the medieval given name Harry, a diminutive of Henry. It traces back to the Anglo-Norman French roots "henri" meaning "home-ruler." The double "r" and double "s" spelling variations arose as early as the 13th century.

Early recordings of the name include William Harris listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of Norfolk in 1275. The Domesday Book of 1086 mentions several landowners with the single "r" spelling of Harris across various counties, such as John Harris in Yorkshire.

Historically, the name was often associated with place names like Harristown in Wiltshire, Harrold in Bedfordshire, and Harringworth in Northamptonshire. The Harris surname was particularly prevalent in counties like Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Wiltshire.

Notable figures with the Harriss surname include William Harriss (1647-1720), an English architect and surveyor who designed several churches in London; John Harriss (1688-1758), an English lawyer and politician who served as Attorney General; and Mary Harriss (1837-1923), an English nurse who worked alongside Florence Nightingale during the Crimean War.

Other historical figures bearing this surname are Reverend Walter Harriss (1617-1689), an English clergyman and author from Gloucestershire; and James Harriss (1801-1876), a British explorer and naturalist who traveled extensively in South America.

Throughout the centuries, the Harris surname has been recorded with various spellings, including Harris, Harries, Harrys, and Harriss, reflecting regional variations and evolving language patterns. The double "s" spelling became more common in certain areas, distinguishing it from the more widespread single "s" form.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Harriss families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harriss 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 351 Harriss' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.84x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 351 1.84x
Warwickshire 248 5.15x
Surrey 167 1.80x
Worcestershire 134 5.38x
Staffordshire 119 1.85x
Kent 87 1.34x
Essex 63 1.67x
Leicestershire 58 2.74x
Yorkshire 58 0.31x
Hampshire 52 1.33x
Lincolnshire 49 1.61x
Shropshire 45 2.73x
Oxfordshire 42 3.56x
Berkshire 35 2.44x
Gloucestershire 35 0.93x
Buckinghamshire 32 2.77x
Monmouthshire 32 2.32x
Cornwall 31 1.43x
Northamptonshire 31 1.73x
Norfolk 25 0.85x
Herefordshire 24 3.07x
Glamorgan 21 0.63x
Suffolk 21 0.90x
Sussex 21 0.65x
Durham 20 0.35x
Devon 19 0.48x
Northumberland 19 0.67x
Derbyshire 18 0.60x
Hertfordshire 17 1.29x
Lancashire 14 0.06x
Bedfordshire 13 1.32x
Nottinghamshire 12 0.47x
Somerset 11 0.36x
Dorset 7 0.56x
Wiltshire 7 0.41x
Carmarthenshire 6 0.75x
Dunbartonshire 5 0.97x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.17x
Cheshire 2 0.05x
Roxburghshire 2 0.58x
Brecknockshire 1 0.26x
Royal Navy 1 0.44x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 52 Harriss' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.24x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 52 3.24x
Shoreditch London 34 4.11x
Islington London 33 1.78x
Sedgley 31 12.95x
Mynyddyslwyn 30 55.11x
Hackney London 29 2.71x
Oldbury 26 21.20x
Lambeth 24 1.44x
Bermondsey 22 3.87x
Tredington 22 322.58x
Dudley 21 6.93x
St George Hanover Square 21 6.24x
Coventry Holy Trinity 20 13.91x
Bulkington 19 182.69x
Darlaston 19 21.34x
Oxford St Thomas 19 34.53x
Ratby 19 179.08x
Bromley London 18 4.29x
West Bromwich 18 4.88x
Aston 16 1.21x
Harbrough Magna 16 714.29x
Lye 16 38.56x
Kensington London 15 1.41x
St Marylebone London 15 1.47x
Sutton 15 22.29x
Chilvers Coton 14 70.71x
East Hendred 14 262.66x
Fareham 14 29.77x
Newington 14 1.99x
Paddington London 14 1.99x
Shrewsbury St Mary 14 21.51x
St Just In Roseland 14 147.99x
Bidford 13 126.34x
Aldsworth 12 476.19x
Holbeach 12 35.30x
Lewisham 12 3.45x
Mile End Old Town London 12 2.95x
Twickenham 12 14.66x
Wandsworth 12 6.53x
Broseley 11 37.53x
Caistor Next Yarmouth 11 106.49x
Greenwich 11 3.62x
Hentland 11 292.55x
Redditch 11 21.76x
Southwark St George Martyr 11 2.86x
Chipping Barnet 10 43.44x
Ecclesall Bierlow 10 2.60x
Gateshead 10 2.35x
Leeds 10 0.94x
Mancetter 10 72.20x
St George In East London 10 5.57x
Andover 9 24.34x
Braintree 9 26.60x
Clapham 9 3.77x
Clerkenwell London 9 2.00x
Edmonton 9 5.85x
Ewell 9 45.82x
Portsea 9 1.17x
Preston Next Faversham 9 58.79x
Roath 9 5.96x
South Ockendon 9 115.38x
St Bride London 9 81.08x
St Pancras London 9 0.59x
Terling 9 159.86x
Chedburgh 8 481.93x
Deptford St Paul 8 1.59x
Lilleshall 8 31.73x
Luton 8 4.68x
Newark Upon Trent 8 8.65x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 8 4.72x
Rowley Regis 8 4.45x
Rushton 8 247.68x
St Austell 8 10.83x
St Giles In Fields London 8 8.54x
Teddington London 8 18.50x
Whittington 8 544.22x
Aberdare 7 3.07x
Stoke Upon Trent 7 1.02x
Walcot 7 4.28x
Willenhall 7 5.80x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 148
Sarah 87
Elizabeth 66
Ann 43
Emma 43
Jane 39
Eliza 28
Annie 27
Emily 27
Ellen 26
Martha 19
Hannah 17
Florence 15
Lucy 15
Harriet 14
Maria 13
Ada 12
Harriett 11
Kate 11
Margaret 11
Caroline 10
Edith 10
Charlotte 9
Anne 8
Fanny 8
Rose 8
Alice 7
Amelia 7
Louisa 7
Catherine 6
Clara 6
Isabella 6
Susan 6
Amy 5
Matilda 5
Sophia 5
Agnes 4
Elizth. 4
Ester 4
Frances 4
Gertrude 4
Julia 4
Rebecca 4
Rosa 4
Rosetta 4
Selina 4
Jessie 3
Lilian 3
Lizzie 3
Rhoda 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 129
John 122
George 76
Thomas 74
Henry 60
James 57
Charles 43
Alfred 32
Joseph 22
Albert 21
Edward 21
Arthur 19
Frederick 18
Samuel 16
Richard 14
David 13
Walter 13
Benjamin 10
Robert 10
Herbert 8
Frank 7
Edwin 6
Ernest 6
Harry 6
Tom 6
Joshua 5
Percy 5
Abraham 4
Fred 4
Sidney 4
Thos. 4
Chas. 3
Daniel 3
Elijah 3
Fredrick 3
Geo. 3
Henery 3
W. 3
A. 2
Ben 2
Earnest 2
Francis 2
Freddy 2
Job 2
Jonathan 2
Josiah 2
Leonard 2
Philip 2
Reuben 2
Solomon 2

FAQ

Harriss surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harriss surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,958 people were recorded with the Harriss surname. That placed it at #2,240 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harriss surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 707 in 2016. That gives Harriss a modern rank of #7,653.

What does the Harriss surname mean?

English surname derived from the given name Harry, a medieval diminutive of Henry.

What does the Harriss map show?

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