NameCensus.

UK surname

Harrowing

In the 1881 census there were 51 people recorded with the Harrowing surname, ranking it #26,428 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 195, ranked #19,921, up from #26,428 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Whitby, Woodburn and Tunbridge, Bidborough. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Kesteven, South Norfolk and Derby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harrowing is 228 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 282.4%.

1881 census count

51

Ranked #26,428

Modern count

195

2016, ranked #19,921

Peak year

1998

228 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harrowing had 51 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,428 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 195 in 2016, ranked #19,921.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 138 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Harrowing surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harrowing surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harrowing 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 25 #28,853
1861 historical 41 #28,839
1881 historical 51 #26,428
1891 historical 97 #24,447
1901 historical 108 #21,836
1911 historical 138 #18,811
1997 modern 217 #16,761
1998 modern 228 #16,706
1999 modern 220 #17,160
2000 modern 221 #17,089
2001 modern 216 #17,103
2002 modern 227 #16,877
2003 modern 219 #17,085
2004 modern 218 #17,230
2005 modern 209 #17,629
2006 modern 202 #18,160
2007 modern 202 #18,359
2008 modern 201 #18,584
2009 modern 200 #19,028
2010 modern 200 #19,457
2011 modern 198 #19,410
2012 modern 203 #19,025
2013 modern 214 #18,671
2014 modern 216 #18,705
2015 modern 210 #18,958
2016 modern 195 #19,921

Geography

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Where Harrowings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Whitby, Woodburn, Tunbridge, Bidborough, St Dunstan Stepney and Stranton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Kesteven, South Norfolk, Derby and King's Lynn and West Norfolk. 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 Whitby Yorkshire, North Riding
2 Woodburn Buckinghamshire
3 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
4 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
5 Stranton Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Kesteven 006 North Kesteven
2 South Norfolk 006 South Norfolk
3 Derby 014 Derby
4 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 003 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
5 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 004 King's Lynn and West Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harrowing

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harrowing

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

Harrowing is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Harrowing falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Harrowing is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Harrowing families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harrowing 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 31 Harrowings recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.55x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 31 40.55x
Middlesex 13 2.61x
Yorkshire 6 1.22x
Lancashire 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Weasenham All Sts in Norfolk leads with 15 Harrowings recorded in 1881 and an index of 25000.00x.

Place Total Index
Weasenham All Sts 15 25000.00x
Mile End Old Town London 7 66.16x
Helhoughton 6 10000.00x
Hackney London 5 17.93x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 4 173.91x
North Runcton 4 10000.00x
Aislaby In Whitby 3 5000.00x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 10.67x
Lakenham 1 91.74x
Paddington London 1 5.47x
South Lynn 1 116.28x
Whitby 1 60.24x
York St Martin Le Grand 1 1428.57x
York St Michael Le 1 625.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Anna 2
Maria 2
Sarah 2
Alice 1
Annie 1
Catharine 1
Charlotte 1
Clarra 1
Elizabeth 1
Emily 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Helena 1
Jemima 1
John 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Robert 4
Thomas 3
Walter 3
John 2
William 2
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
George 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Sydnia 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Harrowing surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harrowing surname in 1881?

In 1881, 51 people were recorded with the Harrowing surname. That placed it at #26,428 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harrowing surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 195 in 2016. That gives Harrowing a modern rank of #19,921.

What does the Harrowing map show?

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