NameCensus.

UK surname

Harvie

A Scottish surname derived from the given name Harvey, meaning "battlefield warrior".

In the 1881 census there were 981 people recorded with the Harvie surname, ranking it #3,964 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,077, ranked #5,421, down from #3,964 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kilbirnie, New Monkland and Bothwell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wyndford, Drumchapel North and Ardrossan North East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harvie is 1,126 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9.8%.

1881 census count

981

Ranked #3,964

Modern count

1,077

2016, ranked #5,421

Peak year

1901

1,126 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harvie had 981 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,964 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,077 in 2016, ranked #5,421.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,126 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Harvie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harvie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harvie 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 739 #3,566
1861 historical 836 #3,301
1881 historical 981 #3,964
1891 historical 1,047 #3,995
1901 historical 1,126 #4,308
1911 historical 252 #12,834
1997 modern 1,068 #5,201
1998 modern 1,100 #5,266
1999 modern 1,083 #5,353
2000 modern 1,120 #5,194
2001 modern 1,096 #5,190
2002 modern 1,096 #5,285
2003 modern 1,089 #5,222
2004 modern 1,067 #5,317
2005 modern 1,061 #5,290
2006 modern 1,070 #5,245
2007 modern 1,054 #5,369
2008 modern 1,046 #5,443
2009 modern 1,059 #5,508
2010 modern 1,091 #5,478
2011 modern 1,088 #5,428
2012 modern 1,034 #5,584
2013 modern 1,059 #5,556
2014 modern 1,078 #5,507
2015 modern 1,081 #5,427
2016 modern 1,077 #5,421

Geography

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Where Harvies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kilbirnie, New Monkland, Bothwell, Govan Combination and Mearns. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wyndford, Drumchapel North, Ardrossan North East, Kilwinning Central and North and Possil Park. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Kilbirnie Ayr
2 New Monkland Lanark
3 Bothwell Lanark
4 Govan Combination Lanark
5 Mearns Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wyndford Glasgow City
2 Drumchapel North Glasgow City
3 Ardrossan North East North Ayrshire
4 Kilwinning Central and North North Ayrshire
5 Possil Park Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harvie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harvie

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Harvie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Harvie household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Harvie 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

Harvie 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

Harvie falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Harvie 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 Harvie, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Harvie

The surname Harvie is of Scottish origin, derived from the Old English word "hærfest," which means "autumn" or "harvest." This name likely originated during the medieval period in Scotland, where it was used as a descriptive surname for someone who was born or worked during the harvest season.

Harvie is a variation of the more common Scottish surname Harvey, which has similar roots. The earliest recorded instance of the name Harvie can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historic document that recorded the names of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to Edward I of England. One notable entry in the Rolls includes the name "Hugo Harvi" from Lanarkshire, Scotland.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in various records and manuscripts, such as the Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland, where a "John Harvie" was mentioned in 1536. Another early reference can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, which recorded a "Thomas Harvie" in 1587.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name Harvie was John Harvie, a Scottish clergyman who served as the Minister of Kilwinning from 1654 to 1673. Another notable figure was Sir John Harvie (1663-1743), a Scottish merchant and philanthropist who served as Lord Provost of Glasgow from 1711 to 1713.

In the 18th century, the name Harvie was associated with the town of Partick, near Glasgow. A prominent family from this area was the Harvies of Brownfield, who owned significant landholdings. Robert Harvie (1768-1858), a member of this family, was a successful merchant and shipowner in Glasgow.

Another notable bearer of the name was Thomas Harvie (1786-1866), a Scottish architect who designed several important buildings in Glasgow, including the Hunterian Museum and the Royal Exchange.

In the 19th century, the name Harvie was found in various parts of Scotland, particularly in the regions of Lanarkshire, Ayrshire, and Renfrewshire. Some individuals with this surname made significant contributions in fields such as medicine, law, and politics.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Harvie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harvie 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. Lanarkshire leads with 448 Harvies recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.49x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 448 14.49x
Ayrshire 116 16.21x
Renfrewshire 88 11.88x
Dunbartonshire 41 15.96x
Middlesex 39 0.41x
Stirlingshire 31 8.79x
Midlothian 27 2.11x
West Lothian 26 18.06x
Devon 23 1.16x
Lancashire 20 0.18x
Aberdeenshire 18 2.03x
Surrey 15 0.32x
Argyllshire 14 5.26x
Hampshire 13 0.66x
Wiltshire 7 0.83x
Kent 6 0.18x
Sussex 6 0.37x
Wigtownshire 6 4.73x
Caernarfonshire 5 1.29x
Essex 5 0.27x
Cornwall 4 0.37x
Derbyshire 4 0.27x
Worcestershire 4 0.32x
Yorkshire 3 0.03x
Angus 2 0.23x
Fife 2 0.35x
Gloucestershire 2 0.11x
Peeblesshire 2 4.45x
Clackmannanshire 1 1.27x
Durham 1 0.04x
Perthshire 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 99 Harvies recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.65x.

Place Total Index
Barony 99 12.65x
Govan 86 11.25x
New Monkland 50 54.71x
Mearns 46 354.39x
Bothwell 32 38.17x
Glasgow 32 5.83x
Old Monkland 31 25.27x
Lesmahagow 28 85.63x
Carluke 24 85.50x
Linlithgow 24 130.01x
Kilbirnie 21 122.24x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 19 3.69x
New Kilpatrick 19 77.74x
Cambuslang 18 57.75x
Dalry 18 53.46x
Islington London 15 1.62x
Abbey 14 12.39x
Blantyre 14 43.49x
Cambusnethan 13 18.93x
Hamilton 13 15.08x
Kippen 13 274.26x
Maybole 12 55.10x
Slamannan 12 62.14x
West Greenock 12 9.02x
Cardross 10 32.43x
Kilmarnock 10 11.74x
Paddington London 10 2.85x
Carisbrooke 8 29.41x
Eastwood 8 17.53x
Kilwinning 8 34.63x
Newhills 8 44.13x
St Peter Tavy 8 792.08x
Kilmaurs 7 57.52x
Southend 7 223.64x
Stevenston 7 37.53x
West Derby 7 2.11x
Belhelvie 6 99.17x
Colmonell 6 83.45x
Cramond 6 61.79x
Crumpsall 6 22.45x
Irvine 6 30.20x
Kirkmichael 6 92.02x
Lidford 6 67.11x
St Bartholomew Great 6 68.97x
Deptford St Paul 5 1.99x
East Ham 5 14.28x
Galston 5 25.55x
Llanbeblig 5 12.75x
Newington 5 1.42x
South Bersted 5 36.47x
Swindon 5 7.62x
Auckinleck 4 18.06x
Bonhill 4 9.70x
Clapham 4 3.35x
Clerkenwell London 4 1.77x
Inch 4 32.31x
Oldbury 4 6.51x
Shirland 4 35.75x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 2.08x
Tamerton Foliott 4 104.44x
Campbeltown 3 9.35x
Dumbarton 3 8.39x
Dunoon Kilmun 3 14.46x
Holdenhurst 3 5.84x
Knaresborough 3 20.16x
Middle Greenock 3 14.84x
Old Kilpatrick 3 9.88x
Paisley Low Church 3 12.79x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 2 1.21x
Bathgate 2 6.40x
Cadder 2 8.76x
Campsie 2 10.34x
Falkirk 2 2.42x
Liverpool 2 0.29x
Newton On Ayr 2 9.33x
St Mary Magdalene 2 25.16x
St Marylebone London 2 0.39x
Streatham 2 2.82x
Trowbridge 2 5.35x
West Teignmouth 2 13.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 11
James 8
John 6
Charles 5
George 5
Arthur 4
Robert 4
Alfred 3
Henry 3
Thomas 3
Walter 3
Frederick 2
Fredrick 2
Joseph 2
Alexr. 1
Ambros.A. 1
Arhtur 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Francis 1
Graham 1
Hays 1
Hayter 1
Herbert 1
Nicholas 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Harvie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harvie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 981 people were recorded with the Harvie surname. That placed it at #3,964 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harvie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,077 in 2016. That gives Harvie a modern rank of #5,421.

What does the Harvie surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the given name Harvey, meaning "battlefield warrior".

What does the Harvie map show?

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