NameCensus.

UK surname

Hartness

An English surname transferred from a place name meaning "hart's headland" or "deer's headland".

In the 1881 census there were 72 people recorded with the Hartness surname, ranking it #23,371 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 148, ranked #23,958, down from #23,371 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Carlisle St Cuthbert, Wigan and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Glassford, Quarter and Allanton, Wakefield and Carlisle.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hartness is 159 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 105.6%.

1881 census count

72

Ranked #23,371

Modern count

148

2016, ranked #23,958

Peak year

2013

159 bearers

Map years

4

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hartness had 72 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,371 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 148 in 2016, ranked #23,958.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 108 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Hartness surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hartness surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hartness 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 54 #23,577
1861 historical 82 #23,321
1881 historical 72 #23,371
1891 historical 108 #22,828
1901 historical 95 #23,462
1911 historical 91 #23,684
1997 modern 127 #23,352
1998 modern 135 #23,118
1999 modern 148 #22,020
2000 modern 148 #21,971
2001 modern 144 #22,040
2002 modern 146 #22,302
2003 modern 142 #22,460
2004 modern 141 #22,689
2005 modern 139 #22,887
2006 modern 141 #22,833
2007 modern 142 #23,025
2008 modern 139 #23,635
2009 modern 139 #24,161
2010 modern 142 #24,352
2011 modern 147 #23,627
2012 modern 153 #22,963
2013 modern 159 #22,706
2014 modern 152 #23,631
2015 modern 145 #24,246
2016 modern 148 #23,958

Geography

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Where Hartness' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Carlisle St Cuthbert, Wigan, Liverpool, Bishop Wearmouth and Skelton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Glassford, Quarter and Allanton, Wakefield, Carlisle and Glasgow Harbour and Partick South. 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 Carlisle St Cuthbert Cumberland
2 Wigan Lancashire
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 Bishop Wearmouth Durham
5 Skelton Cumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Glassford, Quarter and Allanton South Lanarkshire
2 Wakefield 030 Wakefield
3 Carlisle 006 Carlisle
4 Glasgow Harbour and Partick South Glasgow City
5 Carlisle 010 Carlisle

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hartness

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hartness

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hartness, 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 Hartness surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Hartness 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Hartness is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hartness is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Hartness

The surname Hartness has its origins in England, tracing back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "heorot" meaning "hart" or "deer" and "næss" meaning "headland" or "promontory," suggesting a connection to a geographical location that was once a prominent hunting ground for deer.

One of the earliest known references to the name Hartness can be found in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire from 1208, which mentions a William de Hertenes. This suggests that the name was already in use and established in the region during the medieval period.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various forms in historical records, such as Hertenes, Hertnes, and Hartnes. These variations likely reflect the different dialects and spellings prevalent in different regions at the time.

During the 14th century, the surname Hartness began to appear more frequently in various parts of England, particularly in Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Lincolnshire. One notable individual from this period was John de Hartnes, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379.

The 16th century saw the emergence of several notable Hartness individuals, including William Hartness, a merchant and landowner in Yorkshire, born around 1530. Another prominent figure was Robert Hartness, born in 1575 in Lincolnshire, who served as a member of the local gentry.

In the 17th century, the Hartness family continued to establish themselves in various parts of England. One notable individual was Thomas Hartness, born in 1612 in Lancashire, who was a successful businessman and landowner.

The 18th century witnessed the rise of several influential Hartness individuals, including Sir John Hartness (1710-1788), a prominent politician and landowner in Yorkshire. Another notable figure was William Hartness (1745-1823), a respected scholar and author who published works on history and literature.

As the centuries progressed, the Hartness name continued to be represented across various fields and professions, with individuals making their mark in areas such as law, medicine, military, and academia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hartness families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hartness 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. Cumberland leads with 32 Hartness' recorded in 1881 and an index of 52.92x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 32 52.92x
Lancashire 16 1.92x
Durham 8 3.83x
Lincolnshire 4 3.56x
Cheshire 3 1.94x
Lanarkshire 3 1.32x
Northumberland 2 1.91x
Surrey 2 0.58x
Ayrshire 1 1.90x
Glamorgan 1 0.82x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Skelton in Cumberland leads with 12 Hartness' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7058.82x.

Place Total Index
Skelton 12 7058.82x
Liverpool 11 21.73x
Caldewgate 7 211.48x
St Giles 5 384.62x
Bridekirk 4 833.33x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 4 253.16x
Toxteth Park 4 14.17x
Bishopwearmouth 3 16.73x
Govan 3 5.34x
Hunsonby Winskill 3 4285.71x
Camberwell 2 4.46x
Crosscanonby 2 100.00x
Westgate 2 30.91x
Cardiff St John 1 25.06x
Cleator 1 39.68x
Cockermouth 1 78.74x
Great Stanney 1 5000.00x
Monks Coppenhall 1 17.09x
North Meols 1 12.25x
Old Cumnock 1 85.47x
Penrith 1 44.84x
Sale 1 52.63x
St Cuthbert W O 1 33.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Ann 4
Amelia 2
Elizabeth 2
Jane 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Annie 1
Eliza 1
Elizbth. 1
Ellen 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Isabella 1
Margaret 1
Margt. 1
Martha 1
Sophia 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 9
David 3
George 3
Joseph 3
Hector 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
Thomas 2
William 2
Charles 1
Cuthbert 1
Geo. 1
Henry 1
Isaac 1
Jas. 1
Moses 1
Oswold 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Hartness surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hartness surname in 1881?

In 1881, 72 people were recorded with the Hartness surname. That placed it at #23,371 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hartness surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 148 in 2016. That gives Hartness a modern rank of #23,958.

What does the Hartness surname mean?

An English surname transferred from a place name meaning "hart's headland" or "deer's headland".

What does the Hartness map show?

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