NameCensus.

UK surname

Harsley

An English surname derived from a place name, possibly meaning "hare's clearing" or "hare's meadow".

In the 1881 census there were 123 people recorded with the Harsley surname, ranking it #17,506 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 157, ranked #23,006, down from #17,506 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Manchester, Dean and Ulceby with Forthington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kingston upon Hull, North Lincolnshire and Haringey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harsley is 711 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.6%.

1881 census count

123

Ranked #17,506

Modern count

157

2016, ranked #23,006

Peak year

1861

711 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harsley had 123 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,506 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 157 in 2016, ranked #23,006.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 711 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Harsley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harsley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harsley 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 351 #6,715
1861 historical 711 #3,814
1881 historical 123 #17,506
1891 historical 524 #7,145
1901 historical 231 #13,805
1911 historical 315 #11,050
1997 modern 175 #19,161
1998 modern 168 #20,181
1999 modern 178 #19,592
2000 modern 172 #19,974
2001 modern 173 #19,635
2002 modern 164 #20,687
2003 modern 156 #21,115
2004 modern 153 #21,528
2005 modern 149 #21,866
2006 modern 149 #22,013
2007 modern 150 #22,212
2008 modern 152 #22,225
2009 modern 151 #22,816
2010 modern 157 #22,800
2011 modern 157 #22,574
2012 modern 151 #23,166
2013 modern 161 #22,521
2014 modern 157 #23,101
2015 modern 155 #23,194
2016 modern 157 #23,006

Geography

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Where Harsleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Manchester, Dean, Ulceby with Forthington, Bradford and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kingston upon Hull, North Lincolnshire and Haringey. 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 Manchester Lancashire
2 Dean Lancashire
3 Ulceby with Forthington Lincolnshire
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kingston upon Hull 008 Kingston upon Hull, City of
2 Kingston upon Hull 003 Kingston upon Hull, City of
3 North Lincolnshire 018 North Lincolnshire
4 Haringey 001 Haringey
5 North Lincolnshire 016 North Lincolnshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harsley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harsley

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Harsley 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

Harsley is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Harsley 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 Harsley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Harsley

The surname Harsley is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period. The name is believed to have derived from a place name, possibly a town or village, that no longer exists or has undergone a significant change in spelling over the centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Harsley name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landowners and tenants in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name has a long and established history in the country.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name appeared in various forms, such as Harslegh, Harseleye, and Harslaye, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common in that era. These variations likely arose from the name's connection to a specific location or geographic feature.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the Harsley surname was Sir Thomas Harsley (c. 1520-1591), a prominent landowner and member of the gentry in Yorkshire. His descendants played an influential role in the region's affairs for several generations.

Another individual of note was William Harsley (1635-1702), a celebrated architect and builder who contributed to the reconstruction efforts in London following the Great Fire of 1666. His work can still be seen in various historic buildings across the city.

During the 18th century, the name Harsley gained prominence in the literary world with the publication of "The Harsley Chronicles" by Richard Harsley (1712-1788), a series of historical novels that provided a vivid account of life in rural England during the Tudor period.

In the 19th century, the name was associated with the rise of industrialization and the growth of cities. John Harsley (1825-1901) was a pioneering entrepreneur who established one of the first textile mills in Manchester, contributing significantly to the city's economic development.

Another notable figure was Mary Harsley (1879-1958), a renowned botanist and explorer who embarked on several expeditions to remote regions of the world, discovering and cataloging numerous plant species previously unknown to science.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Harsley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harsley 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. Lincolnshire leads with 68 Harsleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.34x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 68 36.34x
Yorkshire 29 2.50x
Middlesex 8 0.68x
Derbyshire 3 1.64x
Northamptonshire 2 1.82x
Surrey 2 0.35x
Angus 1 0.92x
Cambridgeshire 1 1.35x
Durham 1 0.29x
Gloucestershire 1 0.44x
Kent 1 0.25x
Lancashire 1 0.07x
Leicestershire 1 0.77x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.63x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Althorpe in Lincolnshire leads with 12 Harsleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2790.70x.

Place Total Index
Althorpe 12 2790.70x
Ulceby 10 2173.91x
Skendleby 9 8181.82x
Withernwick 9 5000.00x
Long Bennington 7 1944.44x
Sheffield 7 18.96x
St Pancras London 6 6.37x
Messingham 5 1111.11x
Scotter 5 1162.79x
Scunthorpe 5 595.24x
Wakefield 5 56.18x
York St Mary Castlegate 4 1176.47x
Great Grimsby 3 25.25x
Alfreton 2 35.91x
Barton St Peter 2 232.56x
Bonby 2 1250.00x
Northampton Priory St 2 30.26x
Spilsby 2 338.98x
Upton 2 2000.00x
Belton 1 131.58x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.97x
Bottesford 1 188.68x
Catwick 1 909.09x
Derby St Alkmund 1 18.21x
Ecclesfield 1 11.76x
Fulham London 1 5.89x
Gateshead 1 3.84x
Gorton 1 7.66x
Holy Trinity 1 3.59x
Holy Trinity Cambridge 1 125.00x
Kingston On Thames 1 7.30x
Lambeth 1 0.98x
Lee 1 17.24x
Liff Benvie 1 6.08x
Nether Hallam 1 6.37x
Nottingham St Peter 1 56.82x
Scremby 1 1428.57x
West Halton Gunness 1 2000.00x
Westbury On Trym 1 12.85x
Wildsworth 1 2000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Elizabeth 5
Alice 4
Eliza 4
Ann 3
Annie 2
Bernheardnia 2
Emma 2
Florence 2
Gertrude 2
Hannah 2
Abigail 1
Agnes 1
Anna 1
Bertha 1
Catherine 1
Ellen 1
Florenc 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Gertie 1
Harret 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1
Maria 1
Maud 1
Minnie 1
Olive 1
Ruth 1
S. 1
Sarah 1
Sophia 1
Susanah 1
Thomasine 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 7
John 6
William 4
Samuel 3
Thomas 3
Charles 2
Harry 2
James 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
Tom 2
Wm. 2
Enoch 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Gregory 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Jabez 1
Jas. 1
Joe 1
Joseph 1
Lorenza 1
Osborne 1
Randall 1
Rob. 1
Toft 1
Wallace 1
Walter 1
Willm.Jno. 1

FAQ

Harsley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harsley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 123 people were recorded with the Harsley surname. That placed it at #17,506 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harsley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 157 in 2016. That gives Harsley a modern rank of #23,006.

What does the Harsley surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name, possibly meaning "hare's clearing" or "hare's meadow".

What does the Harsley map show?

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