NameCensus.

UK surname

Harrop

A locative surname denoting a person from Harrop, a place name in England.

In the 1881 census there were 3,403 people recorded with the Harrop surname, ranking it #1,341 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,465, ranked #1,961, down from #1,341 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, Glossop and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tameside and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harrop is 4,284 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.8%.

1881 census count

3,403

Ranked #1,341

Modern count

3,465

2016, ranked #1,961

Peak year

1911

4,284 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harrop had 3,403 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,341 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,465 in 2016, ranked #1,961.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,284 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Harrop surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harrop surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harrop 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 2,063 #1,406
1861 historical 2,010 #1,446
1881 historical 3,403 #1,341
1891 historical 3,601 #1,333
1901 historical 4,044 #1,393
1911 historical 4,284 #1,212
1997 modern 3,563 #1,818
1998 modern 3,731 #1,807
1999 modern 3,758 #1,805
2000 modern 3,728 #1,811
2001 modern 3,666 #1,799
2002 modern 3,670 #1,843
2003 modern 3,607 #1,835
2004 modern 3,584 #1,844
2005 modern 3,540 #1,849
2006 modern 3,530 #1,852
2007 modern 3,540 #1,861
2008 modern 3,572 #1,856
2009 modern 3,629 #1,873
2010 modern 3,627 #1,924
2011 modern 3,616 #1,902
2012 modern 3,533 #1,903
2013 modern 3,547 #1,941
2014 modern 3,574 #1,934
2015 modern 3,513 #1,942
2016 modern 3,465 #1,961

Geography

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Where Harrops are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, Glossop, Manchester and Ashton-under-Lyne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tameside and County Durham. 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 Stockport Cheshire
2 Glossop Derbyshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Stockport Lancashire
5 Ashton-under-Lyne Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tameside 008 Tameside
2 Tameside 018 Tameside
3 Tameside 001 Tameside
4 County Durham 058 County Durham
5 Tameside 020 Tameside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harrop

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harrop

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Harrop surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Harrop household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Harrop is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Harrop is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Harrop

The surname Harrop is of English origin, derived from the Old English words 'hara' meaning hare and 'hop' meaning a small enclosed valley or enclosed plot of land. It is believed to have originated in the medieval period, during the 12th or 13th century, in the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire in northern England.

The earliest known recorded instance of the name Harrop can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1179, where it was spelled as 'Harahope'. This suggests that the name was originally a place name referring to a small valley or enclosed area where hares were found.

By the 13th century, the name had evolved to the spelling 'Harahop' and appeared in various records, including the Assize Rolls of Lancashire in 1246. Over time, the name underwent further changes in spelling, such as 'Harop' and 'Harrop', as it became more widely used as a surname.

One of the earliest known individuals bearing the surname Harrop was John Harrop, who was born in Rochdale, Lancashire, around 1520. He was a prominent landowner and farmer in the region.

Another notable figure was Richard Harrop (1576-1648), an English Puritan clergyman who served as the rector of Chetham's Church in Manchester. He was known for his strong religious convictions and his opposition to the policies of King Charles I.

In the 17th century, the Harrop family had a presence in the village of Saddleworth, located in the Pennine hills of Yorkshire. One member of this branch was James Harrop (1654-1714), a successful wool merchant and landowner.

During the Industrial Revolution, the Harrop surname was particularly associated with the textile industry in Lancashire. One notable figure from this era was John Harrop (1786-1858), a cotton manufacturer and philanthropist who established several schools and donated funds for the construction of churches in the region.

Another individual of note was William Harrop (1828-1895), a civil engineer who was involved in the construction of several notable bridges and viaducts, including the Ribblehead Viaduct in Yorkshire, which was completed in 1876.

While the name Harrop has its origins in the northern counties of England, it has since spread to other parts of the country and beyond, with individuals bearing this surname found in various regions and countries around the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Harrop families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harrop 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. Lancashire leads with 1,299 Harrops recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.29x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,299 3.29x
Cheshire 752 10.25x
Yorkshire 712 2.16x
Derbyshire 205 3.94x
Staffordshire 62 0.55x
Surrey 51 0.32x
Durham 47 0.48x
Middlesex 41 0.12x
Warwickshire 29 0.35x
Westmorland 28 3.83x
Kent 23 0.20x
Denbighshire 17 1.35x
Glamorgan 17 0.29x
Worcestershire 16 0.37x
Nottinghamshire 15 0.33x
Huntingdonshire 14 2.12x
Cumberland 11 0.38x
Leicestershire 9 0.24x
Essex 8 0.12x
Northumberland 8 0.16x
Angus 7 0.23x
Gloucestershire 7 0.11x
Shropshire 6 0.21x
Sussex 5 0.09x
Lincolnshire 3 0.06x
Montgomeryshire 3 0.39x
Lanarkshire 2 0.02x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.05x
Devon 1 0.01x
Dorset 1 0.05x
Hampshire 1 0.01x
Hertfordshire 1 0.04x
Midlothian 1 0.02x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.09x
Royal Navy 1 0.25x
Wiltshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ashton Under Lyne in Lancashire leads with 252 Harrops recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.25x.

Place Total Index
Ashton Under Lyne 252 29.25x
Oldham 194 15.25x
Dukinfield 151 44.55x
Glossop Dale 129 52.96x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 104 88.43x
Manchester 91 5.13x
Cheadle 70 49.97x
Hulme 62 7.53x
Chorlton On Medlock 59 9.42x
Ecclesall Bierlow 56 8.36x
Macclesfield 50 15.34x
Stockport 49 12.98x
Tintwistle 48 122.48x
Brightside Bierlow 38 5.88x
Newton In Ashton Under 37 51.13x
Ardwick 34 9.56x
Mexborough 33 50.50x
West Derby 31 2.69x
Gorton 30 8.09x
Horbury 30 52.09x
Openshaw 28 15.16x
Droylsden 25 19.44x
Leeds 24 1.29x
Middleton In Oldham 24 20.30x
Stoke Upon Trent 24 2.02x
Rotherham 22 11.85x
Salford 22 1.90x
Sheffield 22 2.10x
Aston 21 0.91x
Dewsbury 21 6.22x
Hyde 21 9.70x
Lambeth 21 0.72x
Pendleton In Salford 21 4.47x
Bradford 20 10.84x
Moss Side 20 9.64x
Nether Hallam 20 4.49x
Cheetham 19 6.46x
Great Bolton 19 3.64x
Heaton Norris 19 8.47x
Wakefield 19 7.52x
Broughton In Salford 18 4.99x
Runcorn 18 10.64x
Allostock 17 298.25x
Bishopwearmouth 17 2.00x
Broughton 17 34.45x
Mellor 17 120.23x
Saddleworth 17 6.69x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 16 5.22x
Bollington In 16 24.51x
Everton 16 1.27x
Beard Ollerset Whitle 15 43.83x
Huddersfield 15 3.13x
Altrincham 14 10.92x
Beard 14 82.74x
Denton 14 16.02x
Monks Coppenhall 14 5.06x
Stayley 14 16.70x
Werneth 14 60.95x
Camberwell 13 0.61x
Linthwaite 13 18.79x
Reddish 13 23.94x
Wolstanton 13 3.82x
Brinnington 12 17.52x
Hale 12 47.45x
Appleby St Lawrence 11 66.15x
Balby Cum Hexthorpe 11 28.00x
Headingley Cum Burley 11 5.19x
Marple 11 21.85x
Mottram 11 33.11x
Newton 11 3.62x
North Meols 11 2.85x
Toxteth Park 11 0.82x
Warrington 11 2.35x
Worsley 11 4.53x
Levenshulme 10 24.64x
Middlesbrough 10 2.33x
Royton 10 8.29x
Sandbach 10 15.99x
Stretford 10 4.61x
Tonge 10 12.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 233
Sarah 163
Elizabeth 124
Ann 88
Jane 70
Hannah 67
Alice 65
Annie 60
Martha 58
Emma 53
Eliza 51
Ellen 43
Margaret 36
Emily 24
Ada 21
Harriet 20
Lucy 20
Maria 20
Frances 18
Edith 17
Florence 17
Esther 14
Catherine 13
Agnes 12
Amy 11
Clara 11
Fanny 11
Isabella 11
Ruth 11
Betsy 10
Betty 10
Anne 9
Charlotte 9
Eleanor 9
Elizth. 9
Gertrude 9
Bertha 8
Kate 8
Susan 8
Caroline 7
Harriett 7
Louisa 7
Nancy 7
Eliz. 6
Lydia 6
Henrietta 5
Jemima 5
Maud 5
Phoebe 5
Rachel 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 254
William 167
James 139
Joseph 117
George 110
Thomas 100
Henry 47
Samuel 45
Robert 42
Charles 41
Arthur 35
Alfred 34
Edward 30
Walter 22
Benjamin 19
Ernest 18
Frank 17
Frederick 17
Albert 14
Isaac 14
Herbert 13
Fred 12
Harry 12
Joe 12
David 10
Richard 10
Wm. 10
Edwin 9
Peter 9
Thos. 9
Tom 9
Andrew 8
Geo. 8
Joshua 7
Daniel 6
Francis 6
Ben 5
Eli 5
Jas. 5
Joel 5
Lewis 5
Percy 5
Ralph 5
Abel 4
Fred. 4
Mark 4
Wilfred 4
Willie 4
Ellis 3
Matthew 3

FAQ

Harrop surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harrop surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,403 people were recorded with the Harrop surname. That placed it at #1,341 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harrop surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,465 in 2016. That gives Harrop a modern rank of #1,961.

What does the Harrop surname mean?

A locative surname denoting a person from Harrop, a place name in England.

What does the Harrop map show?

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