NameCensus.

UK surname

Havercroft

An Old English surname referring to someone who lived near a croft or small enclosed area for agriculture.

In the 1881 census there were 220 people recorded with the Havercroft surname, ranking it #12,087 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 328, ranked #13,831, down from #12,087 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stallingborough, Barnetby-le-Wold and Hull Holy Trinity. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Lincolnshire, Sedgemoor and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Havercroft is 372 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 49.1%.

1881 census count

220

Ranked #12,087

Modern count

328

2016, ranked #13,831

Peak year

2002

372 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Havercroft had 220 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,087 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 328 in 2016, ranked #13,831.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 347 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Havercroft surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Havercroft surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Havercroft 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 142 #13,428
1861 historical 157 #14,732
1881 historical 220 #12,087
1891 historical 252 #12,685
1901 historical 283 #12,117
1911 historical 347 #10,318
1997 modern 342 #12,379
1998 modern 361 #12,280
1999 modern 356 #12,456
2000 modern 368 #12,130
2001 modern 355 #12,253
2002 modern 372 #12,077
2003 modern 360 #12,152
2004 modern 352 #12,399
2005 modern 350 #12,359
2006 modern 354 #12,339
2007 modern 344 #12,743
2008 modern 343 #12,899
2009 modern 334 #13,409
2010 modern 336 #13,613
2011 modern 333 #13,577
2012 modern 322 #13,799
2013 modern 328 #13,842
2014 modern 337 #13,659
2015 modern 328 #13,840
2016 modern 328 #13,831

Geography

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Where Havercrofts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stallingborough, Barnetby-le-Wold, Hull Holy Trinity, Bigby and Kirmington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Lincolnshire, Sedgemoor and East Riding of Yorkshire. 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 Stallingborough Lincolnshire
2 Barnetby-le-Wold Lincolnshire
3 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Bigby Lincolnshire
5 Kirmington Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Lincolnshire 001 North Lincolnshire
2 North Lincolnshire 011 North Lincolnshire
3 Sedgemoor 002 Sedgemoor
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 031 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 North Lincolnshire 004 North Lincolnshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Havercroft

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Havercroft

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Havercroft surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Havercroft household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Havercroft 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

Havercroft is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Havercroft

The surname Havercroft has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a place called Havercroft, which was located in the West Riding of Yorkshire. The name is composed of two Old English words: "hafre," meaning oats, and "croft," meaning a small enclosed field or meadow.

Havercroft was likely named after a field or meadow where oats were grown, indicating that the area was agriculturally significant during the early medieval era. The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears to be Havrecroft, which was found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379.

In the Domesday Book, a landmark survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, there is no direct mention of the place name Havercroft. However, several entries refer to nearby locations, such as Normanton and Wakefield, suggesting that the region was inhabited and economically active during the 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Havercroft was John de Havercroft, who was mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1360. Another early bearer of the name was William de Havercroft, who was listed in the Yorkshire Subsidy Rolls of 1327.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Havercroft. One such person was Sir Walter Havercroft (1592-1683), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Derbyshire during the reign of Charles I. Another was John Havercroft (1673-1749), an English clergyman who served as the Rector of Stoke-upon-Trent in Staffordshire.

In the 18th century, there was a notable family of Havercrofts who lived in Sleaford, Lincolnshire. Among them were William Havercroft (1714-1784), a prominent landowner and philanthropist, and his son, also named William Havercroft (1742-1818), who was a successful merchant and benefactor.

The surname Havercroft has also been found in other parts of England, such as Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, suggesting that descendants of the original Havercroft family migrated to different regions over time. However, the name remains most closely associated with its Yorkshire origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Havercroft families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Havercroft 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. Lincolnshire leads with 146 Havercrofts recorded in 1881 and an index of 42.55x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 146 42.55x
Yorkshire 49 2.30x
Nottinghamshire 12 4.15x
Middlesex 8 0.37x
Rutland 4 25.38x
Lancashire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kirmington in Lincolnshire leads with 23 Havercrofts recorded in 1881 and an index of 7666.67x.

Place Total Index
Kirmington 23 7666.67x
Saxby In Glanford Brigg 15 6250.00x
Holy Trinity 13 25.42x
Corby 10 1724.14x
Bonby 8 2666.67x
Nottingham St Mary 8 10.69x
Barnetby Le Wold 7 1129.03x
Crowle 7 334.93x
Finchley 7 85.05x
South Ferriby 7 1296.30x
Barton St Mary 6 348.84x
Barton St Mary St Peter 6 937.50x
Manton 6 6000.00x
Cadney 5 1515.15x
Holme 5 10000.00x
Sculcoates 5 14.83x
Stallingborough 5 1428.57x
Sutton 5 206.61x
Wrawby 5 537.63x
Great Grimsby 4 18.37x
Rotherham 4 33.36x
Stowe And Normanby 4 8000.00x
Sutton Stoneferry 4 65.79x
Worksop 4 46.62x
York St Mary 4 45.40x
Gainsborough 3 37.08x
Hibaldstow 3 508.47x
Liddington 3 769.23x
Scawby 3 265.49x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 3 62.11x
Wootton 3 697.67x
Scunthorpe 2 129.87x
Southcoates 2 16.93x
Worlaby 2 465.12x
Barmbrough 1 128.21x
Barton St Peter 1 63.69x
Brightside Bierlow 1 2.40x
Brocklesby 1 526.32x
Broughton 1 104.17x
Caistor 1 72.99x
Cheetham 1 5.27x
Goxhill 1 117.65x
Hampton London 1 28.33x
Holton Le Moor 1 769.23x
Holy Trinity St Mary 1 30.86x
Hook 1 21.37x
Horkstow 1 500.00x
Messingham 1 120.48x
Middleton On Wolds 1 212.77x
North Kelsey 1 161.29x
Roxby Cum Risby 1 322.58x
Thornton Curtis 1 285.71x
Uppingham 1 53.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 14
Mary 12
Annie 8
Elizabeth 6
Eliza 4
Emily 4
Martha 4
Edith 3
Emma 3
Harriet 3
Jane 3
Alice 2
Ann 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Kate 2
Maria 2
Rebecca 2
A. 1
Ada 1
Anna 1
Bertha 1
Caroline 1
Ellen 1
Ester 1
Ethel 1
Evelena 1
G.F. 1
Hannah 1
Helen 1
Ida 1
Lavinia 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Marion 1
Marrie 1
Maud 1
Minnie 1
Polly 1
Rebecka 1
Rose 1
Sebina 1
Selina 1
Susanna 1
Sushannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 22
John 14
William 13
Thomas 10
Charles 6
Henry 5
Stephen 5
Joseph 4
Robert 4
Walter 4
Arthur 3
Edward 2
Fred 2
Thos. 2
Alfred 1
Chas. 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
Ge. 1
Geo.H. 1
H. 1
Horace 1
J.E. 1
James 1
Mark 1
Michael 1
Saml. 1
Tom 1
Tom. 1
Wilfred 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Havercroft surname: questions and answers

How common was the Havercroft surname in 1881?

In 1881, 220 people were recorded with the Havercroft surname. That placed it at #12,087 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Havercroft surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 328 in 2016. That gives Havercroft a modern rank of #13,831.

What does the Havercroft surname mean?

An Old English surname referring to someone who lived near a croft or small enclosed area for agriculture.

What does the Havercroft map show?

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