NameCensus.

UK surname

Harston

A habitational name from a place in Cambridgeshire, derived from Old English words meaning "hare" and "stūn" (stone).

In the 1881 census there were 306 people recorded with the Harston surname, ranking it #9,586 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 290, ranked #15,099, down from #9,586 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Silkstone and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hambleton, Barnsley and North East Derbyshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harston is 395 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 5.2%.

1881 census count

306

Ranked #9,586

Modern count

290

2016, ranked #15,099

Peak year

1911

395 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harston had 306 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,586 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 290 in 2016, ranked #15,099.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 395 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Harston surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harston surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harston 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 167 #11,936
1861 historical 287 #8,773
1881 historical 306 #9,586
1891 historical 357 #9,678
1901 historical 380 #9,823
1911 historical 395 #9,373
1997 modern 299 #13,563
1998 modern 315 #13,452
1999 modern 318 #13,444
2000 modern 312 #13,561
2001 modern 317 #13,228
2002 modern 328 #13,186
2003 modern 320 #13,239
2004 modern 317 #13,400
2005 modern 308 #13,590
2006 modern 301 #13,886
2007 modern 310 #13,730
2008 modern 309 #13,860
2009 modern 325 #13,657
2010 modern 325 #13,946
2011 modern 312 #14,230
2012 modern 313 #14,095
2013 modern 323 #14,003
2014 modern 312 #14,430
2015 modern 302 #14,687
2016 modern 290 #15,099

Geography

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Where Harstons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Silkstone, London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hambleton, Barnsley, North East Derbyshire, East Riding of Yorkshire and Flintshire. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Silkstone Yorkshire, West Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
5 Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hambleton 002 Hambleton
2 Barnsley 025 Barnsley
3 North East Derbyshire 009 North East Derbyshire
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 027 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 Flintshire 020 Flintshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harston

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harston

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Harston surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Harston household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Harston 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

Harston 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

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

Meaning and origin of Harston

The surname Harston originated in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "hara" meaning hare and "tun" meaning a farm or settlement, suggesting that the name may have originated from a place where hares were commonly found or bred.

One of the earliest known records of the name Harston can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Buckinghamshire from 1197, where a person named William de Hareston is mentioned. This suggests that the name may have initially been a locational surname, referring to someone who hailed from a place called Harston.

In the Domesday Book, a historical record compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror, there are references to several places with similar names, such as Harestone in Berkshire and Harastone in Oxfordshire, which may have been the original locations from which the surname was derived.

Notable individuals with the surname Harston throughout history include Sir John Harston (1561-1637), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Lincolnshire during the reign of King James I. Another prominent figure was Richard Harston (1683-1756), a renowned English clockmaker and inventor who patented several innovative clock designs.

In the 17th century, a family by the name of Harston settled in the village of Churchover, Warwickshire, where they became prominent landowners and influential members of the local community. One member of this family, Thomas Harston (1624-1698), served as the High Sheriff of Warwickshire in 1677.

During the 18th century, the Harston surname spread across various parts of England, with records indicating families of this name residing in counties such as Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Derbyshire. One notable figure from this era was William Harston (1720-1789), a successful merchant and philanthropist from the city of Bristol, who funded the construction of several public buildings and supported various charitable causes.

Throughout the 19th century, the Harston surname continued to be found across England, with some families migrating to other parts of the British Empire, including Canada and Australia. One notable individual from this period was Sir George Harston (1844-1912), a British colonial administrator who served as the Governor of the Straits Settlements (now Singapore and Malaysia) from 1901 to 1907.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Harston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harston 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 89 Harstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.05x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 89 22.05x
Yorkshire 60 2.02x
Middlesex 37 1.24x
Lancashire 26 0.73x
Lincolnshire 24 5.01x
Surrey 15 1.03x
Durham 14 1.57x
Staffordshire 8 0.79x
Kent 7 0.69x
Warwickshire 7 0.93x
Derbyshire 6 1.28x
Gloucestershire 4 0.68x
Somerset 3 0.62x
Wiltshire 3 1.13x
Buckinghamshire 2 1.10x
Dorset 1 0.51x
Suffolk 1 0.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newark Upon Trent in Nottinghamshire leads with 33 Harstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 227.43x.

Place Total Index
Newark Upon Trent 33 227.43x
Blatchinworth 21 259.58x
Monk Bretton 19 633.33x
Nottingham St Mary 12 11.49x
Barnby In Willows 9 4090.91x
Thurlby 9 2903.23x
Barnsley 8 26.14x
Hucknall Torkard 8 78.13x
Long Bennington 8 860.22x
Stranton 8 26.68x
Nether Hallam 7 17.43x
Penistone 7 303.03x
Radford 7 34.13x
Tottenham 7 14.68x
Bexley 6 66.45x
Stockton On Tees 6 13.97x
Coleshill 5 206.61x
Croydon 5 6.17x
Snenton 5 31.53x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 8.30x
St George Martyr London 5 82.37x
St Marylebone London 5 3.13x
West Derby 5 4.81x
Clifton 4 13.47x
Flintham 4 1025.64x
Harborne 4 12.35x
Killamarsh 4 136.99x
Lambeth 4 1.53x
Poplar London 4 7.08x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 4 59.44x
Syerston 4 2500.00x
Ardsley 3 87.72x
Edmonton 3 12.43x
Farnsfield 3 280.37x
Leeds 3 1.79x
Paulton 3 135.75x
St George Hanover Square 3 5.69x
Westbury 3 48.54x
Wolstanton 3 9.77x
Chelsea London 2 2.22x
Ecclesall Bierlow 2 3.31x
Guisbrough 2 30.86x
Hackney London 2 1.19x
Hutton Rudby 2 224.72x
Leamington Priors 2 10.76x
Linslade 2 112.99x
Middlesbrough 2 5.18x
Norton 2 51.81x
Preston 2 121.95x
St Andrew Holborn London 2 15.42x
St Pancras London 2 0.83x
St Peterat Arches 2 363.64x
Beeston 1 21.55x
Blidworth Haywood 1 232.56x
Bromley 1 6.42x
Bromley London 1 1.52x
Burton Upon Trent 1 4.23x
Camberwell 1 0.52x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.41x
Gonalstone 1 769.23x
Handsworth 1 12.74x
Linby 1 303.03x
Lowestoft 1 5.80x
Sherborne 1 17.27x
Swinton In Rotherham 1 12.74x
Welton 1 142.86x
Wetherby 1 51.81x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 22
George 15
William 12
James 8
Albert 5
Arthur 5
Joseph 5
Thomas 5
Charles 4
Edward 4
Henry 4
Herbert 4
Wm. 4
Frederick 3
Richard 3
Walter 3
Alfred 2
Edwin 2
Samuel 2
Tom 2
A. 1
Alf 1
Benjamin 1
Cecil 1
Chas.Edw. 1
Christopher 1
Ezra 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Gerald 1
H. 1
Harry 1
Jas.Smith 1
Jonathan 1
Josiah 1
Leonard 1
Montague 1
Perceval 1
Percy 1
Robert 1
Sidney 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
W. 1

FAQ

Harston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 306 people were recorded with the Harston surname. That placed it at #9,586 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 290 in 2016. That gives Harston a modern rank of #15,099.

What does the Harston surname mean?

A habitational name from a place in Cambridgeshire, derived from Old English words meaning "hare" and "stūn" (stone).

What does the Harston map show?

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