NameCensus.

UK surname

Heart

An English surname derived from the medieval nickname meaning valiant or courageous.

In the 1881 census there were 288 people recorded with the Heart surname, ranking it #9,988 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 162, ranked #22,512, down from #9,988 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wigan, Manchester and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Tyneside and Isle of Wight.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Heart is 738 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 43.8%.

1881 census count

288

Ranked #9,988

Modern count

162

2016, ranked #22,512

Peak year

1861

738 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Heart had 288 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,988 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 162 in 2016, ranked #22,512.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 738 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Heart surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Heart surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Heart 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 363 #6,525
1861 historical 738 #3,706
1881 historical 288 #9,988
1891 historical 301 #11,092
1901 historical 109 #21,712
1911 historical 86 #24,243
1997 modern 28 #34,904
1998 modern 35 #34,344
1999 modern 26 #35,320
2000 modern 22 #35,684
2001 modern 22 #35,531
2002 modern 26 #35,338
2003 modern 27 #35,279
2004 modern 26 #35,519
2005 modern 29 #35,431
2006 modern 33 #35,329
2007 modern 38 #35,153
2008 modern 39 #35,191
2009 modern 55 #34,355
2010 modern 73 #33,249
2011 modern 62 #34,045
2012 modern 111 #28,332
2013 modern 117 #27,838
2014 modern 128 #26,490
2015 modern 145 #24,246
2016 modern 162 #22,512

Geography

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Where Hearts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wigan, Manchester, Lambeth, St George the Martyr and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Tyneside and Isle of Wight. 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 Wigan Lancashire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 St George the Martyr London (South Districts)
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Tyneside 025 North Tyneside
2 Isle of Wight 013 Isle of Wight

Forenames

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First names often paired with Heart

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Heart

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Heart surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Heart household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Heart 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

Heart 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

Heart falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Heart is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Heart, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Heart

The surname Heart is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "heorte," which means "heart." This name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for a kind or loving person, or perhaps someone with a prominent heart-shaped birthmark.

The earliest known record of the Heart surname dates back to the 13th century in the county of Lincolnshire, England. It is believed that the name may have originated in the village of Heart, which was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Herte."

One of the earliest known bearers of the Heart surname was Sir John Heart, a knight who fought in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 during the Hundred Years' War. His descendants continued to use the surname and can be traced through various historical records.

In the 16th century, the Heart family had established themselves in the county of Berkshire, where they owned land and properties. Notable members of this branch include William Heart (1524-1592), a prominent merchant and landowner, and his son, Thomas Heart (1559-1628), who served as a member of Parliament.

The Heart surname also has a connection to the town of Hartlepool in County Durham, England. The town's name is derived from the Old English "hort," meaning "hart" or "deer," and "pool," meaning "pool" or "creek." This suggests that some Heart families may have originated from this area or had ancestors associated with it.

Other notable figures with the Heart surname include:

1. Benjamin Heart (1678-1741), an English clergyman and author. 2. Mary Heart (1763-1843), a British philanthropist and social reformer. 3. Sir George Heart (1820-1892), a British diplomat and colonial administrator. 4. William Heart (1871-1946), an American businessman and philanthropist. 5. Dorothy Heart (1904-1988), a British novelist and playwright.

The Heart surname has undergone various spellings over the centuries, including Harte, Hert, and Harte, reflecting the evolving pronunciation and regional variations in English language and dialects.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Heart families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Heart 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 35 Hearts recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.12x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 35 1.12x
Middlesex 26 0.99x
Yorkshire 23 0.88x
Monmouthshire 20 10.50x
Durham 15 1.91x
Kent 14 1.56x
Ayrshire 11 5.58x
Lanarkshire 11 1.29x
Northumberland 11 2.81x
Staffordshire 10 1.12x
Cheshire 9 1.55x
Warwickshire 8 1.20x
Worcestershire 8 2.33x
Essex 7 1.35x
Somerset 7 1.65x
Surrey 7 0.55x
Norfolk 6 1.48x
Angus 4 1.64x
Cumberland 4 1.76x
Glamorgan 4 0.87x
Bedfordshire 3 2.20x
Northamptonshire 3 1.21x
Wiltshire 3 1.29x
Cornwall 2 0.67x
Herefordshire 2 1.85x
Leicestershire 2 0.68x
Midlothian 2 0.57x
Perthshire 2 1.69x
Argyllshire 1 1.36x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.63x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.60x
Dorset 1 0.58x
Gloucestershire 1 0.19x
Hertfordshire 1 0.55x
Lincolnshire 1 0.24x
Renfrewshire 1 0.49x
Shropshire 1 0.44x
Stirlingshire 1 1.03x
Sussex 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. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 12 Hearts recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.32x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 12 6.32x
Wigan 9 20.61x
Gillingham 8 43.17x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 8 155.34x
Spitalfields London 8 40.38x
Bedwellty 7 20.83x
Monks Coppenhall 7 31.91x
Rastrick 7 96.55x
Batley 6 24.19x
Caerwent 6 1666.67x
Darlington 6 19.83x
Escomb 6 166.67x
New Monkland 6 23.83x
Old Cumnock 6 136.67x
Salford 6 6.53x
St Woollos 6 28.24x
West Buckland 6 740.74x
Aston 5 2.73x
Dewsbury 5 18.68x
Horndon On Hill 5 943.40x
Beeston With Bittering 4 888.89x
Dundee 4 4.39x
Hasbury 4 177.78x
Hougham 4 74.91x
Oldbury 4 23.64x
St Cuthbert W O 4 36.20x
St George Hanover Square 4 8.62x
Wolverhampton 4 5.85x
Barony 3 1.39x
Broomley 3 857.14x
Eaton Socon 3 140.19x
Girvan 3 60.61x
Lambeth 3 1.31x
Limehouse London 3 10.38x
St Pancras London 3 1.42x
Stamford Baron St Martin 3 225.56x
Wolstanton Oldcott 3 93.17x
Bradford On Avon 2 26.81x
Brandon 2 91.74x
Crowan 2 84.75x
Esh 2 35.09x
Ince In Makerfield 2 13.76x
Leicester St Margaret 2 2.81x
Llandaff 2 13.11x
Middlesbrough 2 5.89x
North Meols 2 6.54x
Pelsall 2 75.76x
Abergavenny 1 14.03x
Beith 1 17.01x
Bethnal Green London 1 0.87x
Birmingham 1 0.45x
Blairgowrie 1 21.37x
Camberwell 1 0.59x
Canterbury St Mary 1 16.58x
Chertsey 1 12.06x
Cwmdu 1 17.89x
Dalziel 1 10.92x
Datchet 1 91.74x
Finchley 1 9.90x
Halstead 1 16.50x
Haxey 1 55.87x
Hayes 1 37.17x
Inveresk 1 10.47x
Killean Kilchenzie 1 80.00x
Kilwinning 1 15.72x
Littleport 1 31.35x
Pickmere 1 454.55x
Pilkington 1 8.42x
Port Of Monteith 1 94.34x
Roath 1 4.80x
Sambourn 1 208.33x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 8.77x
St Luke London 1 2.37x
St Olave Old Jewry London 1 1666.67x
Stirling 1 8.16x
Stow On The Wold 1 86.96x
Templenewsam 1 52.91x
Thundridge 1 232.56x
Whitley 1 322.58x
Wimbledon 1 6.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 20
William 18
Thomas 12
Henry 8
James 8
George 7
Charles 5
Joseph 4
Robert 4
Alfred 3
Harry 3
Patrick 3
Albert 2
Fred. 2
Frederick 2
Michael 2
Walter 2
Abraham 1
Arthur 1
Caron 1
Daniel 1
Earnest 1
Edwin 1
Elias 1
Elijah 1
F. 1
Foster 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Herbert 1
Jonathan 1
Lewis 1
Llewellyn 1
Markey 1
Mickel 1
Myer 1
Peter 1
Piers 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Simon 1
Solomon 1
Stephen 1
Thos. 1
W. 1
Willi 1
Wm.C. 1
Woolf 1

FAQ

Heart surname: questions and answers

How common was the Heart surname in 1881?

In 1881, 288 people were recorded with the Heart surname. That placed it at #9,988 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Heart surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 162 in 2016. That gives Heart a modern rank of #22,512.

What does the Heart surname mean?

An English surname derived from the medieval nickname meaning valiant or courageous.

What does the Heart map show?

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