NameCensus.

UK surname

Harrod

A locality surname referring to someone who lived near a hill or heap of rocks.

In the 1881 census there were 1,004 people recorded with the Harrod surname, ranking it #3,895 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,393, ranked #4,356, down from #3,895 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Billinghay, Collyweston and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harrod is 1,573 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.7%.

1881 census count

1,004

Ranked #3,895

Modern count

1,393

2016, ranked #4,356

Peak year

1911

1,573 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harrod had 1,004 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,895 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,393 in 2016, ranked #4,356.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,573 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Harrod surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harrod surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harrod 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 709 #3,681
1861 historical 589 #4,487
1881 historical 1,004 #3,895
1891 historical 1,162 #3,676
1901 historical 1,499 #3,422
1911 historical 1,573 #3,086
1997 modern 1,403 #4,135
1998 modern 1,459 #4,146
1999 modern 1,449 #4,195
2000 modern 1,444 #4,196
2001 modern 1,425 #4,159
2002 modern 1,477 #4,119
2003 modern 1,396 #4,233
2004 modern 1,404 #4,206
2005 modern 1,399 #4,190
2006 modern 1,393 #4,211
2007 modern 1,386 #4,258
2008 modern 1,381 #4,300
2009 modern 1,415 #4,298
2010 modern 1,458 #4,279
2011 modern 1,437 #4,282
2012 modern 1,375 #4,363
2013 modern 1,395 #4,391
2014 modern 1,425 #4,335
2015 modern 1,417 #4,319
2016 modern 1,393 #4,356

Geography

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Where Harrods are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Billinghay, Collyweston, London parishes and Wormegay. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Barnsley. 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 Billinghay Lincolnshire
2 Collyweston Lincolnshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Wormegay Norfolk
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 014 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
2 Barnsley 007 Barnsley
3 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 008 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
4 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 017 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
5 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 011 King's Lynn and West Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harrod

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harrod

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Harrod surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Harrod household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Harrod 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

Harrod is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Harrod

The surname Harrod has its origins in England, and it is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, specifically in the 12th or 13th century. The name is thought to derive from the Old English word "hara," meaning "hare," and is likely an occupational surname given to someone who hunted or kept hares.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Harrod can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a person named John Harehod is listed. This spelling variation underscores the name's connection to the Old English word for hare.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various records across different counties in England, including Hertfordshire, Warwickshire, and Lincolnshire. The spellings varied, with forms such as Harehod, Harerod, and Harrod being documented.

The Domesday Book, a manuscript compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conquer, does not contain any direct references to the surname Harrod. However, it does mention several place names that may have influenced the development of the surname, such as Harrold in Bedfordshire and Harowdon in Yorkshire.

One notable individual with the surname Harrod was Sir John Harrode (c. 1455 - 1512), a wealthy merchant and Member of Parliament for the City of London during the reigns of Henry VII and Henry VIII.

Another prominent figure was Thomas Harrod (1687 - 1744), an English architect and builder who designed several churches and other structures in the Baroque style in London and the surrounding areas.

In the 18th century, Henry Harrod (1742 - 1819) established a successful grocery business in London, which later became the famous Harrods department store. His son, Charles Henry Harrod (1799 - 1885), expanded the business and laid the foundation for its reputation as a premier shopping destination.

During the Victorian era, William Henry Harrod (1836 - 1914) was a notable English cricketer who played for Surrey County Cricket Club and made appearances in several first-class matches.

In the 20th century, Roy Harrod (1900 - 1978) was an influential British economist who made significant contributions to the field of economic growth theory and is best known for his work on the "Harrod-Domar model."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Harrod families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harrod 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. Norfolk leads with 229 Harrods recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.19x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 229 15.19x
Essex 126 6.51x
Middlesex 123 1.25x
Lincolnshire 78 4.98x
Warwickshire 67 2.71x
Surrey 57 1.19x
Kent 51 1.52x
Yorkshire 44 0.45x
Sussex 33 2.00x
Staffordshire 31 0.94x
Suffolk 28 2.34x
Northamptonshire 26 2.82x
Lancashire 14 0.12x
Gloucestershire 11 0.57x
Nottinghamshire 11 0.83x
Leicestershire 10 0.92x
Huntingdonshire 9 4.62x
Buckinghamshire 7 1.18x
Cambridgeshire 7 1.13x
Derbyshire 7 0.46x
Devon 6 0.29x
Oxfordshire 5 0.83x
Durham 4 0.14x
Westmorland 4 1.86x
Wiltshire 4 0.46x
Bedfordshire 3 0.59x
Cheshire 3 0.14x
Hampshire 2 0.10x
Rutland 2 2.78x
Cornwall 1 0.09x
Royal Navy 1 0.86x
Worcestershire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Yarmouth in Norfolk leads with 30 Harrods recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.03x.

Place Total Index
Great Yarmouth 30 24.03x
Wormegay 21 1320.75x
Sible Hedingham 20 309.12x
Collyweston 19 1310.34x
St Pancras London 19 2.41x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 18 39.78x
Methwold 18 368.85x
Birmingham 17 2.06x
Islington London 17 1.79x
Northwold 17 420.79x
Hayes 14 600.86x
Orsett 14 277.23x
West Ham 14 3.28x
Hammersmith London 13 5.38x
Aston 12 1.76x
Hastings St Mary In The 12 34.03x
Fulham London 11 7.74x
Henstead 11 607.73x
Wereham 11 533.98x
West Newton 11 1000.00x
Leek Lowe 10 22.71x
Spalding 10 32.14x
Waddington 10 348.43x
West Walton 10 346.02x
Battersea 9 2.49x
Briston 9 314.69x
Dunton 9 1914.89x
Farcett 9 376.57x
Hackney London 9 1.64x
Heckington 9 151.01x
Beckenham 8 18.29x
Cheltenham 8 5.39x
Heigham 8 9.89x
Walthamstow 8 11.49x
Allesley 7 215.38x
Cubbington 7 212.12x
Ditchingham 7 193.91x
Foleshill 7 26.91x
Guestling 7 260.22x
Hastings St Clement 7 45.02x
Kensington London 7 1.28x
Lambeth 7 0.82x
Lewisham 7 3.92x
Prittlewell 7 26.10x
Putney 7 15.67x
Shoreditch London 7 1.65x
Shouldham Thorpe 7 752.69x
Stockton 7 1794.87x
Templenewsam Thorpe 7 346.53x
Wolverton 7 57.05x
Woolwich 7 5.66x
Buttsbury 6 394.74x
Chiswick 6 11.20x
Derby St Werburgh 6 6.77x
Frieston 6 161.73x
Gorleston 6 19.78x
Great Burstead 6 85.23x
Harrow On The Hill 6 30.64x
Hogsthorpe 6 246.91x
Linthorpe 6 10.35x
Liverpool 6 0.85x
Rotherham 6 10.95x
Walsoken 6 66.23x
Wolverhampton 6 2.36x
Wouldham 6 140.85x
Bathley 5 877.19x
Bermondsey 5 1.71x
Billinghay 5 103.52x
Burford 5 95.24x
Great Cressingham 5 316.46x
Harborne 5 4.71x
Langley 5 485.44x
Marske Near Richmond 5 555.56x
Ore 5 40.65x
Rettendon 5 206.61x
Shadwell London 5 18.23x
Uttoxeter 5 29.52x
Weston 5 657.89x
Wildmore 5 243.90x
Wrentham 5 151.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 65
John 61
George 44
James 34
Henry 30
Charles 23
Thomas 23
Robert 22
Joseph 21
Frederick 15
Arthur 14
Edward 14
Samuel 14
Albert 11
Alfred 11
Harry 9
Walter 9
Richard 5
Ernest 4
Jeremiah 4
Herbert 3
Wm. 3
Francis 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Frederic 2
Hufton 2
Jesse 2
Robt. 2
Willm. 2
Andrew 1
Anna 1
Archie 1
Benjimen 1
Bertie 1
Bertrum 1
C.E. 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Drake 1
Earnest 1
Edwin 1
Fk. 1
Golden 1
Harbold 1
Homes 1
Isaac 1
Jacob 1
Jas. 1

FAQ

Harrod surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harrod surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,004 people were recorded with the Harrod surname. That placed it at #3,895 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harrod surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,393 in 2016. That gives Harrod a modern rank of #4,356.

What does the Harrod surname mean?

A locality surname referring to someone who lived near a hill or heap of rocks.

What does the Harrod map show?

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