NameCensus.

UK surname

Haslem

An English habitational surname that refers to someone who hailed from a place called Haslem, Haslem, or Halesleam.

In the 1881 census there were 205 people recorded with the Haslem surname, ranking it #12,643 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 143, ranked #24,505, down from #12,643 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Halifax, West Derby and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Preston, Wirral and South Ribble.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Haslem is 274 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 30.2%.

1881 census count

205

Ranked #12,643

Modern count

143

2016, ranked #24,505

Peak year

1891

274 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Haslem had 205 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,643 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 143 in 2016, ranked #24,505.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 274 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Haslem surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Haslem surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Haslem 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 242 #9,001
1861 historical 160 #14,468
1881 historical 205 #12,643
1891 historical 274 #11,880
1901 historical 175 #16,469
1911 historical 157 #17,348
1997 modern 156 #20,593
1998 modern 166 #20,329
1999 modern 172 #20,009
2000 modern 177 #19,634
2001 modern 164 #20,279
2002 modern 162 #20,839
2003 modern 155 #21,217
2004 modern 152 #21,628
2005 modern 159 #20,983
2006 modern 163 #20,789
2007 modern 166 #20,811
2008 modern 159 #21,598
2009 modern 155 #22,438
2010 modern 153 #23,175
2011 modern 156 #22,690
2012 modern 144 #23,902
2013 modern 137 #25,149
2014 modern 137 #25,345
2015 modern 140 #24,836
2016 modern 143 #24,505

Geography

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Where Haslems are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Halifax, West Derby, Sheffield, Bolton-le-Moors and Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Preston, Wirral and South Ribble. 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 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
2 West Derby Lancashire
3 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
5 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Preston 002 Preston
2 Wirral 023 Wirral
3 Wirral 026 Wirral
4 Preston 012 Preston
5 South Ribble 017 South Ribble

Forenames

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First names often paired with Haslem

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Haslem

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Haslem, 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 Haslem surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Haslem 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, Haslem 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

Haslem is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Haslem falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Haslem

The surname Haslem is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "hæs" meaning "brushwood" or "underwood" and "lẽam" meaning "a woodland clearing" or "an open space in a wood". This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who lived near or in a woodland clearing or a small open space within a wooded area.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears to be in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as Hæsleme, referring to a place name in Surrey. This indicates that the surname Haslem likely originated in the southern counties of England during the 11th century or earlier.

In the 13th century, records show the name spelled as Hasselme and Hasselum, further reinforcing its connection to the Old English words for woodland clearings. Some variations of the spelling include Haslam, Haslem, and Haselam.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John de Haslum, who was recorded in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire in 1285. Another early example is William de Haselum, mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, several notable individuals bore the surname Haslem. These include Richard Haslam (1553-1618), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Chester, and Thomas Haslam (1619-1672), an English politician who was a Member of Parliament for Newcastle-under-Lyme.

In the 18th century, John Haslem (1708-1784) was a prominent English surveyor and cartographer, known for his detailed maps of various counties in England. Additionally, William Haslem (1737-1820) was a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

Another notable bearer of the name was Edward Haslem (1825-1896), a British architect who designed several churches and other buildings in the Gothic Revival style. His works include St. Stephen's Church in Bournemouth and St. Michael's Church in Bournemouth.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Haslem families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Haslem 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. Lancashire leads with 90 Haslems recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.79x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 90 3.79x
Yorkshire 47 2.37x
Cheshire 12 2.72x
Middlesex 12 0.60x
Derbyshire 11 3.51x
Nottinghamshire 6 2.23x
Hampshire 4 0.98x
Durham 3 0.50x
Gloucestershire 3 0.76x
Buckinghamshire 2 1.65x
Caernarfonshire 2 2.47x
Essex 2 0.51x
Kent 2 0.29x
Staffordshire 2 0.30x
Sussex 2 0.59x
Ayrshire 1 0.67x
Norfolk 1 0.33x
Surrey 1 0.10x
Warwickshire 1 0.20x
Wiltshire 1 0.57x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Halifax in Yorkshire leads with 24 Haslems recorded in 1881 and an index of 82.50x.

Place Total Index
Halifax 24 82.50x
Manchester 12 11.25x
Ecclesall Bierlow 11 27.29x
Crich 9 441.18x
Little Bolton 9 29.50x
Chiswick 8 73.19x
Little Hulton 8 203.56x
Singleton 8 3333.33x
Blackrod 7 237.29x
Salford 7 10.03x
Burton Joyce 6 1304.35x
Northowram 6 43.20x
West Derby 5 7.20x
Hindley 4 39.53x
Holy Trinity 4 8.39x
St Pancras London 4 2.49x
Sutton In Macclesfield 4 87.34x
Walmersley Cum 4 105.54x
Worsley 4 27.34x
Brancepeth 3 277.78x
Clifton 3 168.54x
Dukinfield 3 14.71x
Hale 3 197.37x
Hartley Wintney 3 243.90x
Beaconsfield 2 178.57x
Blackburn 2 3.17x
Deptford St Paul 2 3.80x
Farnworth 2 14.06x
Felstead 2 148.15x
Hastings St Mary 2 23.84x
Hulme 2 4.04x
Pilkington 2 22.20x
Withington 2 26.18x
Ynyscynhaiarn 2 53.19x
Aldershot 1 7.28x
Altofts 1 45.66x
Ayr 1 14.16x
Birmingham 1 0.60x
Bradford On Avon 1 17.67x
Chapel En Le Frith 1 34.97x
Cheetham 1 5.65x
Clifton 1 5.04x
Dewsbury 1 4.92x
Great Yarmouth 1 3.93x
Hopwood 1 32.26x
Kirkdale 1 2.51x
Litchurch 1 7.94x
Littleworth 1 263.16x
Liverpool 1 0.69x
Macclesfield 1 5.10x
Monks Coppenhall 1 6.00x
New Windsor 1 232.56x
Preesall With 1 172.41x
Rugeley 1 20.66x
Thornton In Fylde 1 19.27x
Toxteth Park 1 1.24x
Treales Roseacre 1 263.16x
Tutbury 1 60.61x
Westbury On Trym 1 7.52x
Woodplumpton 1 117.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Elizabeth 8
Annie 7
Ann 6
Ellen 6
Sarah 5
Hannah 4
Alice 3
Edith 3
Emma 3
Jane 3
Margaret 3
Maria 3
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Amelia 1
Bertha 1
Betsy 1
Catherine 1
Cathrine 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Elizth.Ann 1
Emily 1
Ethell 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
Harriet 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Lavinia 1
Margret 1
Margt. 1
Martha 1
Maryann 1
Olente 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Ruth 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Haslem surname: questions and answers

How common was the Haslem surname in 1881?

In 1881, 205 people were recorded with the Haslem surname. That placed it at #12,643 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Haslem surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 143 in 2016. That gives Haslem a modern rank of #24,505.

What does the Haslem surname mean?

An English habitational surname that refers to someone who hailed from a place called Haslem, Haslem, or Halesleam.

What does the Haslem map show?

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