NameCensus.

UK surname

Hartless

A surname derived from an English nickname for someone with a steadfast or brave heart.

In the 1881 census there were 29 people recorded with the Hartless surname, ranking it #29,484 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 161, ranked #22,606, up from #29,484 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lichfield, West Oxfordshire and Liverpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hartless is 192 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 455.2%.

1881 census count

29

Ranked #29,484

Modern count

161

2016, ranked #22,606

Peak year

1998

192 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hartless had 29 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,484 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 161 in 2016, ranked #22,606.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 94 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Hartless surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hartless surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hartless 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 28 #28,274
1861 historical 24 #30,922
1881 historical 29 #29,484
1891 historical 40 #31,174
1901 historical 66 #26,794
1911 historical 94 #23,391
1997 modern 168 #19,642
1998 modern 192 #18,561
1999 modern 185 #19,127
2000 modern 178 #19,570
2001 modern 177 #19,357
2002 modern 180 #19,533
2003 modern 179 #19,416
2004 modern 177 #19,662
2005 modern 182 #19,259
2006 modern 170 #20,214
2007 modern 166 #20,811
2008 modern 175 #20,311
2009 modern 188 #19,797
2010 modern 173 #21,327
2011 modern 170 #21,407
2012 modern 157 #22,551
2013 modern 162 #22,433
2014 modern 164 #22,445
2015 modern 163 #22,407
2016 modern 161 #22,606

Geography

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Where Hartless' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lichfield, West Oxfordshire, Liverpool, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Stafford. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lichfield 012 Lichfield
2 West Oxfordshire 008 West Oxfordshire
3 Liverpool 005 Liverpool
4 Newcastle-under-Lyme 005 Newcastle-under-Lyme
5 Stafford 001 Stafford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hartless

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hartless

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Hartless is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Hartless 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

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

Meaning and origin of Hartless

The surname HARTLESS has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated as a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near a wooded area or a deer park. The name is derived from the Old English words "heorot" meaning "hart" or "stag," and "lease" meaning "meadow" or "pasture."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname HARTLESS can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire from the year 1230, where a person named Roger de Hertesles is mentioned. This suggests that the name may have initially been spelled as "Hertesles" or a similar variation before evolving into its current form.

The HARTLESS surname is also found in some historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries, such as the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire from 1273, which mentions a person named John de Hertelesheye. This variation of the name, "Hertelesheye," likely refers to a place name that has since been lost or altered over time.

In the 16th century, there are records of a family named HARTLESS residing in the county of Gloucestershire. One notable member of this family was William HARTLESS, who was born in 1562 and served as a member of the local militia during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another notable figure with the HARTLESS surname was John HARTLESS, a merchant and landowner who lived in the late 17th century. He was born in 1647 and owned substantial properties in the county of Wiltshire, contributing to the local economy and community.

Moving into the 18th century, there are records of a Samuel HARTLESS, born in 1712, who served as a vicar in the village of Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire. He was known for his dedication to the local parish and his efforts in promoting education in the area.

In the 19th century, a notable figure was Sir Edward HARTLESS, a prominent industrialist and philanthropist born in 1828. He made significant contributions to the development of the textile industry in Lancashire and was also known for his charitable works, establishing several schools and hospitals in the region.

The surname HARTLESS has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Hartless Green in Kent and Hartless Farm in Gloucestershire, further cementing its connection to the English countryside and its topographic origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hartless families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hartless 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. Staffordshire leads with 19 Hartless' recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.90x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 19 19.90x
Lancashire 4 1.19x
Hertfordshire 3 15.39x
Cheshire 2 3.20x
Herefordshire 1 8.62x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tamworth in Staffordshire leads with 13 Hartless' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2549.02x.

Place Total Index
Tamworth 13 2549.02x
Burton Upon Trent 4 179.37x
Bootle Cum Linacre 3 112.78x
Hitchin 3 340.91x
Sandbach 2 377.36x
Wolstanton 2 68.97x
Everton 1 9.35x
Much Birch 1 2000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2
Alice 1
Annie 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Hanh. 1
Lucy 1
Margret 1
Sarah 1
Thirza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
James 3
Alfred 2
William 2
George 1
Henry 1
Herbt. 1
Richard 1
Thomas 1

FAQ

Hartless surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hartless surname in 1881?

In 1881, 29 people were recorded with the Hartless surname. That placed it at #29,484 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hartless surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 161 in 2016. That gives Hartless a modern rank of #22,606.

What does the Hartless surname mean?

A surname derived from an English nickname for someone with a steadfast or brave heart.

What does the Hartless map show?

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