NameCensus.

UK surname

Harrow

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "heathen temple".

In the 1881 census there were 722 people recorded with the Harrow surname, ranking it #5,047 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 802, ranked #6,897, down from #5,047 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Islington, West Devon and Westminster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harrow is 861 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11.1%.

1881 census count

722

Ranked #5,047

Modern count

802

2016, ranked #6,897

Peak year

1861

861 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harrow had 722 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,047 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 802 in 2016, ranked #6,897.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 861 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Harrow surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harrow surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harrow 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 465 #5,332
1861 historical 861 #3,212
1881 historical 722 #5,047
1891 historical 860 #4,765
1901 historical 855 #5,336
1911 historical 644 #6,486
1997 modern 798 #6,553
1998 modern 801 #6,739
1999 modern 821 #6,663
2000 modern 810 #6,707
2001 modern 787 #6,733
2002 modern 795 #6,812
2003 modern 750 #7,018
2004 modern 768 #6,898
2005 modern 777 #6,756
2006 modern 763 #6,890
2007 modern 787 #6,779
2008 modern 786 #6,856
2009 modern 790 #6,966
2010 modern 808 #6,966
2011 modern 798 #6,970
2012 modern 759 #7,156
2013 modern 771 #7,186
2014 modern 780 #7,148
2015 modern 785 #7,047
2016 modern 802 #6,897

Geography

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Where Harrows are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Edinburgh, Long Benton and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Islington, West Devon, Westminster, Chichester and Carmarthenshire. 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 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Long Benton Northumberland
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Islington 005 Islington
2 West Devon 001 West Devon
3 Westminster 004 Westminster
4 Chichester 009 Chichester
5 Carmarthenshire 017 Carmarthenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harrow

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harrow

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Harrow is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Harrow is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Harrow falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Harrow 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 Harrow, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Harrow

The surname HARROW originates from England and can be traced back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Old English words "hearg" meaning "heathen temple" and "hara" meaning "rock, stony hill". The name initially referred to someone who lived near a heathen shrine or a rocky hill.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landowners in England compiled by order of William the Conqueror, the name appears as "Harahog" and "Haregrave". These early spellings indicate the name's evolution over time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is John de Harrow, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1207. Another early example is Robert de Harowe, recorded in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1286.

The surname HARROW is also closely tied to the town of Harrow in northwest London, which likely took its name from the Old English word "hearg". The town's place name was recorded as "Herefelde" in the Domesday Book and later evolved to "Herge" and "Haregrave" in the 12th and 13th centuries.

Notable individuals with the surname HARROW include:

1. Sir John Harrow (c. 1500-1568), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1555. 2. Thomas Harrow (1591-1662), an English Puritan minister and author who wrote several theological works. 3. Mary Harrow (1719-1804), an English composer and organist known for her church music compositions. 4. Robert Harrow (1810-1888), an English mathematician and inventor who contributed to the development of early calculating machines. 5. William Harrow (1878-1945), a British artist and illustrator known for his landscape paintings and illustrations for children's books.

The name HARROW has a rich history deeply rooted in the English landscape and culture, with its origins dating back to the Anglo-Saxon era and its association with various notable figures throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Harrow families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harrow 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 156 Harrows recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.23x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 156 2.23x
Surrey 76 2.23x
Warwickshire 63 3.57x
Fife 60 14.47x
Aberdeenshire 47 7.25x
Kent 38 1.59x
Lanarkshire 26 1.15x
Kincardineshire 25 29.31x
Lancashire 25 0.30x
Yorkshire 24 0.35x
Northumberland 21 2.02x
Durham 18 0.86x
Hertfordshire 16 3.31x
Ayrshire 14 2.67x
Midlothian 13 1.39x
Dumfriesshire 11 7.11x
Morayshire 11 10.11x
Angus 10 1.54x
Essex 9 0.65x
Renfrewshire 7 1.29x
Caithness 5 5.21x
Hampshire 5 0.35x
Roxburghshire 5 3.94x
Inverness-shire 3 1.43x
Monmouthshire 3 0.59x
Norfolk 3 0.28x
Perthshire 3 0.95x
Royal Navy 3 3.59x
Suffolk 3 0.35x
Merionethshire 2 1.56x
Sussex 2 0.17x
Berkshire 1 0.19x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.23x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.34x
Cumberland 1 0.17x
Glamorgan 1 0.08x
Herefordshire 1 0.35x
Lincolnshire 1 0.09x
Shropshire 1 0.17x
Somerset 1 0.09x
Staffordshire 1 0.04x
Stirlingshire 1 0.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 44 Harrows recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.48x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 44 6.48x
Coventry St Michael 33 58.16x
Coventry Holy Trinity 27 51.19x
Dysart 25 89.54x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 24 19.78x
St Pancras London 22 3.90x
Longbenton 20 45.31x
Aberdeen Old Machar 14 10.34x
Bethnal Green London 14 4.60x
Enfield 12 26.11x
Chelsea London 11 5.21x
Newington 10 3.87x
Beddington 9 68.18x
Camberwell 9 2.01x
Darlington 9 11.19x
Everton 9 3.40x
Kirkcaldy 9 43.77x
Nigg 9 127.48x
Rotherhithe 9 10.40x
Barony 8 1.40x
Bow London 8 8.97x
Cadder 8 47.82x
Kilmarnock 8 12.82x
Lewisham 8 6.28x
Anstruther Easter 7 234.11x
Fetteresso 7 52.36x
Lambeth 7 1.15x
Monifieth 7 30.54x
Sculcoates 7 6.36x
Streatham 7 13.47x
Abbey 6 7.24x
Closeburn 6 166.21x
Drumoak 6 269.06x
Govan 6 1.07x
Kensington London 6 1.54x
Mile End Old Town London 6 4.03x
North Leith 6 13.82x
North Mimms 6 197.37x
Putney 6 18.80x
Tenterden 6 71.17x
West Derby 6 2.47x
West Ham 6 1.97x
Battersea 5 1.94x
Burntisland 5 43.14x
Dumfries 5 32.77x
Elgin 5 23.62x
Hawick 5 17.61x
Maybole 5 31.33x
Shoreditch London 5 1.65x
St Andrew Holborn London 5 16.49x
Tonbridge 5 5.80x
Wemyss 5 28.51x
Wick 5 16.14x
Arbuthnott 4 206.19x
Banchory Devenick 4 50.19x
Cheam 4 109.59x
Edinburgh Canongate 4 16.75x
Holy Trinity 4 2.40x
Horsell 4 185.19x
Liverpool 4 0.79x
Rochester St Margaret 4 15.87x
Skeeby 4 1052.63x
St Luke London 4 3.56x
Westminster St James 4 5.56x
Bromley London 3 1.95x
Cameron 3 124.48x
Cupar 3 16.64x
Forres 3 26.22x
Greenwich 3 2.69x
Hackney London 3 0.76x
Hatfield 3 30.64x
Hetton Le Hole 3 11.36x
Holmside 3 58.37x
Inverness 3 5.70x
New Spynie 3 76.53x
Ramsgate 3 7.69x
Gateshead 2 1.28x
Great Welnetham 2 188.68x
Royal Navy 2 2.80x
St George Hanover Square 2 1.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 22
Mary 19
Sarah 16
Martha 9
Eliza 8
Jane 8
Alice 7
Amelia 7
Ann 7
Emma 7
Margaret 7
Annie 6
Caroline 6
Catherine 6
Emily 6
Ellen 5
Isabella 5
Charlotte 4
Ada 3
Anne 3
Clara 3
Edith 3
Florence 3
Hannah 3
Harriet 3
Louisa 3
Maria 3
Rose 3
Clare 2
Esther 2
Fanny 2
Flora 2
Jemima 2
Kate 2
Marie 2
Ruth 2
Susanah 2
Susannah 2
Betsy 1
C. 1
Constance 1
Dazey 1
Dorothy 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Harriett 1
Ida 1
Isabel 1
J. 1
Whillimina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 34
James 18
Henry 17
John 16
Charles 13
George 12
Thomas 11
Robert 9
Arthur 8
Joseph 7
Edward 6
Alfred 5
Samuel 5
Stephen 5
Walter 5
Albert 4
David 4
Frederick 4
Harry 4
Richard 3
Andrew 2
Edwin 2
Frank 2
Percy 2
Philip 2
Phillip 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
Alexander 1
Archibald 1
Ben 1
Benjn. 1
Bertie 1
Donald 1
Dudley 1
E.G. 1
Ernest 1
Esau 1
Francis 1
Hugh 1
Lewis 1
Maurice 1
Robertson 1
Simon 1
Sydney 1
Tully 1
Valentine 1

FAQ

Harrow surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harrow surname in 1881?

In 1881, 722 people were recorded with the Harrow surname. That placed it at #5,047 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harrow surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 802 in 2016. That gives Harrow a modern rank of #6,897.

What does the Harrow surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "heathen temple".

What does the Harrow map show?

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