NameCensus.

UK surname

Harward

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "hare enclosure" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 145 people recorded with the Harward surname, ranking it #15,838 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 133, ranked #25,765, down from #15,838 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Hartlebury. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Babergh, Islington and Burnley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harward is 393 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 8.3%.

1881 census count

145

Ranked #15,838

Modern count

133

2016, ranked #25,765

Peak year

1861

393 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harward had 145 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,838 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 133 in 2016, ranked #25,765.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 393 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Harward surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harward surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harward 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 185 #11,077
1861 historical 393 #6,524
1881 historical 145 #15,838
1891 historical 274 #11,880
1901 historical 115 #21,050
1911 historical 151 #17,797
1997 modern 139 #22,132
1998 modern 139 #22,720
1999 modern 139 #22,884
2000 modern 137 #23,048
2001 modern 134 #23,037
2002 modern 128 #24,150
2003 modern 119 #25,026
2004 modern 119 #25,200
2005 modern 126 #24,287
2006 modern 118 #25,556
2007 modern 124 #25,086
2008 modern 129 #24,790
2009 modern 124 #25,957
2010 modern 126 #26,312
2011 modern 122 #26,647
2012 modern 131 #25,439
2013 modern 136 #25,252
2014 modern 136 #25,452
2015 modern 131 #25,979
2016 modern 133 #25,765

Geography

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Where Harwards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Hartlebury, Toxteth Park and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Babergh, Islington, Burnley and Hart. 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 London parishes London 1
2 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 Hartlebury Worcestershire
4 Toxteth Park Lancashire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Babergh 011 Babergh
2 Islington 014 Islington
3 Burnley 014 Burnley
4 Hart 003 Hart
5 Burnley 007 Burnley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harward

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harward

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Harward 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

Harward is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Harward falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Harward

The surname HARWARD is of English origin, traced back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the Old English words "hearg" meaning "heathen temple" and "weard" meaning "guard" or "keeper." This suggests that the name's earliest bearers may have been guardians or caretakers of pagan shrines or sacred sites.

In its earliest recorded forms, the name appeared as "Hereward" or "Hereward" in various medieval records and manuscripts. One notable example is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a landowner named Hereward is listed as holding estates in Lincolnshire.

The surname later evolved into variations such as Harward, Harewood, and Harwood, possibly influenced by the Old English word "har" meaning "hoar" or "gray," referring to the color of hair or the appearance of a person.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was Sir John Harward, a 14th-century English knight and landowner in Worcestershire. Another notable bearer was William Harward, born around 1480, who served as a member of the Privy Council during the reign of King Henry VIII.

In the 16th century, the Harward family held significant influence in the county of Shropshire, where they owned lands and properties around the village of Harward. This place name likely contributed to the prominence of the surname in that region.

During the English Civil War, Colonel John Harward (1606-1670) was a prominent Royalist commander who fought for King Charles I. He was later rewarded with lands in Ireland after the Restoration.

In the realm of literature, Edward Harward (1589-1662) was an English poet and playwright who authored several works, including the play "The Anti-Norman."

Another notable bearer was Sir John Harward (1719-1789), a British naval officer who served with distinction during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War.

These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have borne the surname HARWARD, reflecting its enduring presence in England and its role in various aspects of British society and history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Harward families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harward 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. Middlesex leads with 31 Harwards recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.29x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 31 2.29x
Worcestershire 25 14.12x
Hampshire 10 3.60x
Warwickshire 9 2.63x
Yorkshire 9 0.67x
Derbyshire 8 3.77x
Surrey 8 1.21x
Essex 7 2.62x
Staffordshire 7 1.53x
Sussex 6 2.62x
Lincolnshire 5 2.31x
Lancashire 3 0.19x
Norfolk 3 1.44x
Cambridgeshire 2 2.33x
Suffolk 2 1.21x
Denbighshire 1 1.95x
Gloucestershire 1 0.38x
Hertfordshire 1 1.07x
Oxfordshire 1 1.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rouse Lench in Worcestershire leads with 14 Harwards recorded in 1881 and an index of 10000.00x.

Place Total Index
Rouse Lench 14 10000.00x
Sheffield 8 18.70x
Enville 7 1944.44x
Shalfleet 7 1296.30x
Hackney London 6 7.89x
Middleton By Wirksworth 6 2727.27x
Carlton Scroop 5 4545.45x
Mortlake 5 170.07x
Salehurst 5 505.05x
Upperswinford 5 333.33x
Birmingham 4 3.51x
Bromley London 4 13.41x
Chaddesley Corbett 4 606.06x
Colchester St Giles 4 151.52x
Kensington London 4 5.31x
Poplar London 4 15.63x
Westminster St John 4 24.23x
Aston 3 3.19x
Ellingham 3 2307.69x
Great Baddow 3 315.79x
Lakenham 3 101.35x
St Pancras London 3 2.75x
Bidford 2 273.97x
Carlton Colville 2 327.87x
Hartlebury 2 190.48x
Middletonby Wirksworth 2 952.38x
St George Hanover Square 2 8.37x
Toxteth Park 2 3.67x
Battersea 1 2.00x
Broughton 1 49.75x
Broxbourne 1 54.05x
Chesterton 1 37.74x
Clifton 1 7.44x
Eskdaleside 1 151.52x
Finchley 1 19.23x
Lambeth 1 0.85x
Mixbury 1 769.23x
Paddington London 1 2.01x
Richmond 1 10.80x
St Andrewthe Less 1 10.19x
Thornton In Fylde 1 28.41x
Towerof London London 1 232.56x
Willesden 1 7.82x
Worth 1 60.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 11
William 9
George 8
Thomas 5
Henry 4
James 4
Charles 3
Arthur 2
Frank 2
Lawrence 2
Richard 2
Benjamin 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Ferdinand 1
Gainsborough 1
Geoeg 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Jacob 1
Joseph 1
Percy 1
Reginald 1
Simeon 1
Theodore 1
Walter 1
Willm.J. 1

FAQ

Harward surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harward surname in 1881?

In 1881, 145 people were recorded with the Harward surname. That placed it at #15,838 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harward surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 133 in 2016. That gives Harward a modern rank of #25,765.

What does the Harward surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "hare enclosure" in Old English.

What does the Harward map show?

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