NameCensus.

UK surname

Harron

An English surname derived from a place in West Yorkshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 62 people recorded with the Harron surname, ranking it #24,843 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 263, ranked #16,210, up from #24,843 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Ryton and Greenock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Port Glasgow Upper, West and Central, Greenock Upper Central and Harlow.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harron is 263 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 324.2%.

1881 census count

62

Ranked #24,843

Modern count

263

2016, ranked #16,210

Peak year

2010

263 bearers

Map years

6

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harron had 62 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,843 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 263 in 2016, ranked #16,210.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 166 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Harron surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harron surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harron 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 79 #19,712
1861 historical 166 #14,039
1881 historical 62 #24,843
1891 historical 144 #18,842
1901 historical 142 #18,633
1911 historical 46 #28,224
1997 modern 240 #15,678
1998 modern 236 #16,304
1999 modern 242 #16,146
2000 modern 233 #16,524
2001 modern 227 #16,573
2002 modern 233 #16,590
2003 modern 218 #17,131
2004 modern 232 #16,539
2005 modern 231 #16,529
2006 modern 236 #16,384
2007 modern 240 #16,392
2008 modern 246 #16,247
2009 modern 250 #16,421
2010 modern 263 #16,205
2011 modern 255 #16,428
2012 modern 257 #16,212
2013 modern 260 #16,350
2014 modern 260 #16,470
2015 modern 255 #16,564
2016 modern 263 #16,210

Geography

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Where Harrons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Ryton, Greenock, Glasgow and Stranton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Port Glasgow Upper, West and Central, Greenock Upper Central, Harlow, Glenrothes Cadham and Pitcoudie and Cambusbarron. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Ryton Durham
3 Greenock Renfrew
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Stranton Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Port Glasgow Upper, West and Central Inverclyde
2 Greenock Upper Central Inverclyde
3 Harlow 008 Harlow
4 Glenrothes Cadham and Pitcoudie Fife
5 Cambusbarron Stirling

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harron

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harron

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Harron surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Harron household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Harron is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Harron is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Harron 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 Harron 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Harron

The surname Harron is believed to have originated in Ireland, where it first appeared in the early 13th century. It is thought to be a variant of the Irish Gaelic surname Ó hArráin, which means "descendant of Arran." Arran is a masculine given name derived from the Old Irish word "arán," meaning "bread."

During the Middle Ages, the name was found primarily in the northern counties of Ireland, particularly in the areas of Ulster and Donegal. It is believed to have been associated with families of Gaelic ancestry in those regions.

Some of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Harron can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The name appears in various spellings, such as O'Harran, O'Haran, and Haran, throughout the annals, which cover events from the 5th to the 16th centuries.

One notable bearer of the surname was Donough Harron, a 16th-century Irish chieftain and leader of the Harron clan in County Donegal. He is mentioned in several historical records from the late 1500s, including the Annals of the Four Masters, which document his involvement in conflicts with English forces during the Nine Years' War.

Another historical figure with the surname Harron was Henry Harron, an 18th-century Irish Catholic priest and philosopher. He was born in County Donegal in 1712 and served as a professor of philosophy at the Irish College in Paris. Harron wrote several works on philosophy and theology, including a treatise on the nature of the human soul.

In the 19th century, John Harron (1809-1877) was a prominent Irish-American businessman and politician in Philadelphia. He served as a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate and was involved in various business ventures, including the construction of railroads and canals.

The surname Harron has also been found in other parts of the world, likely due to Irish emigration. One notable bearer was James Harron (1858-1936), a Canadian politician and businessman from Ontario. He served as a member of the Canadian House of Commons and was involved in the development of the mining industry in northern Ontario.

Overall, the surname Harron has a rich history rooted in Irish Gaelic culture, with early instances dating back to the Middle Ages. While primarily associated with Ireland, the name has also spread to other parts of the world through emigration and has been borne by notable individuals in various fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Harron families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harron 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. Lanarkshire leads with 17 Harrons recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.84x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 17 8.84x
Yorkshire 10 1.70x
Middlesex 8 1.34x
Kent 6 2.96x
Renfrewshire 4 8.68x
Cheshire 3 2.28x
Durham 3 1.70x
Lancashire 3 0.43x
Devon 1 0.81x
Fife 1 2.84x
Leicestershire 1 1.52x
Northumberland 1 1.13x
Oxfordshire 1 2.72x
West Lothian 1 11.16x
Wiltshire 1 1.90x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 10 Harrons recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.02x.

Place Total Index
Govan 10 21.02x
Keighley 9 143.31x
Barony 6 12.33x
Lewisham 4 36.97x
Birkenhead 3 28.65x
Middle Greenock 3 238.10x
St George Martyr London 3 250.00x
Brandon Byshottles 2 90.09x
Chatham 2 35.84x
Everton 2 8.89x
Bedlington 1 33.78x
Boness 1 81.30x
Burntisland 1 102.04x
Chelsea London 1 5.58x
Crook Billy Row 1 44.05x
Dauntsey 1 1000.00x
Hampstead London 1 10.80x
Islington London 1 1.73x
Kirkham 1 107.53x
Leicester St Margaret 1 6.22x
Mile End Old Town London 1 7.90x
Oxford St Thomas 1 58.48x
Plymstock 1 153.85x
Sculcoates 1 10.71x
Shettleston 1 58.14x
St Pancras London 1 2.09x
West Greenock 1 12.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 3
Mary 2
Sarah 2
Bridget 1
Clementine 1
Emily 1
Hannah 1
Jane 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Harron surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harron surname in 1881?

In 1881, 62 people were recorded with the Harron surname. That placed it at #24,843 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harron surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 263 in 2016. That gives Harron a modern rank of #16,210.

What does the Harron surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place in West Yorkshire, England.

What does the Harron map show?

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