UK surname
An English occupational surname referring to someone who played the harp or worked as a harpist.
In the 1881 census there were 67 people recorded with the Tharp surname, ranking it #24,104 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 70, ranked #33,700, down from #24,104 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Felkirk, Northfleet and Sturry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tharp is 236 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.5%.
1881 census count
67
Ranked #24,104
Modern count
70
2016, ranked #33,700
Peak year
1891
236 bearers
Map years
4
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Tharp surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Tharp surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 118 | #15,362 |
| 1861 | historical | 229 | #10,660 |
| 1881 | historical | 67 | #24,104 |
| 1891 | historical | 236 | #13,278 |
| 1901 | historical | 96 | #23,342 |
| 1911 | historical | 135 | #19,058 |
| 1997 | modern | 73 | #30,306 |
| 1998 | modern | 78 | #30,192 |
| 1999 | modern | 82 | #29,933 |
| 2000 | modern | 79 | #30,249 |
| 2001 | modern | 72 | #30,813 |
| 2002 | modern | 81 | #30,294 |
| 2003 | modern | 79 | #30,549 |
| 2004 | modern | 73 | #31,403 |
| 2005 | modern | 70 | #31,912 |
| 2006 | modern | 70 | #32,240 |
| 2007 | modern | 72 | #32,397 |
| 2008 | modern | 67 | #33,135 |
| 2009 | modern | 71 | #33,102 |
| 2010 | modern | 83 | #32,396 |
| 2011 | modern | 73 | #33,230 |
| 2012 | modern | 70 | #33,638 |
| 2013 | modern | 66 | #34,003 |
| 2014 | modern | 71 | #33,717 |
| 2015 | modern | 73 | #33,541 |
| 2016 | modern | 70 | #33,700 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Felkirk, Northfleet, Sturry, London parishes and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Felkirk | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| 2 | Northfleet | Kent |
| 3 | Sturry | Kent |
| 4 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 5 | St John Hackney | London (North Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Tharp surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Tharp, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Tharp surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Tharp household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Tharp is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Tharp is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Tharp, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Tharp is of English origin and is believed to have derived from the Old English word "þorp," which means a small village or hamlet. The name is thought to have originated in the 8th or 9th century, during the Anglo-Saxon period in England.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Torp" and "Thorp." This suggests that the name was already established in various parts of England by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.
The name Tharp was particularly prevalent in the northern counties of England, such as Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Northumberland. It is believed that many families with this surname can trace their origins back to these regions.
In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, including "Thorp," "Thorpe," and "Therp." These variations likely emerged due to regional dialects and differences in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time.
One notable bearer of the Tharp surname was John Tharp, a 16th-century English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Taunton in 1563. Another prominent figure was Sir William Tharp, who lived in the 17th century and was knighted for his service to the Crown.
In the United States, the Tharp surname gained prominence through individuals like Twyla Tharp, a renowned American dancer, choreographer, and author born in 1941. Van K. Tharp, born in 1945, is another well-known American figure, recognized for his contributions to the field of investment and trading psychology.
Other individuals with the Tharp surname who have left their mark on history include Samuel Tharp (1734-1791), an American revolutionary soldier, and James Tharp (1857-1941), a U.S. Congressman from Missouri.
The name Tharp has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Thorpe, a village in Derbyshire, and Thorpe-on-the-Hill, a village in Lincolnshire, further reinforcing its historical roots in the region.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tharp surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Kent leads with 23 Tharps recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.33x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Kent | 23 | 11.33x |
| Surrey | 12 | 4.14x |
| Staffordshire | 8 | 3.98x |
| Middlesex | 7 | 1.18x |
| Essex | 5 | 4.26x |
| Devon | 2 | 1.62x |
| Hertfordshire | 1 | 2.44x |
| Lancashire | 1 | 0.14x |
| Shropshire | 1 | 1.95x |
| Sussex | 1 | 1.00x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Deptford St Paul in Kent leads with 11 Tharps recorded in 1881 and an index of 70.29x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Deptford St Paul | 11 | 70.29x |
| Sturry | 7 | 2916.67x |
| Lingfield | 6 | 1071.43x |
| Ratcliffe London | 6 | 182.93x |
| Walsall Foreign | 6 | 57.86x |
| West Ham | 5 | 19.29x |
| Croydon | 3 | 18.65x |
| Mortlake | 3 | 232.56x |
| Tonbridge | 3 | 40.98x |
| Lewisham | 2 | 18.48x |
| Stoke Upon Trent | 2 | 9.39x |
| Topsham | 2 | 344.83x |
| Cheshunt | 1 | 69.93x |
| Hove | 1 | 22.73x |
| Oldham | 1 | 4.39x |
| Paddington London | 1 | 4.57x |
| Wellington | 1 | 34.60x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Tharp surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Tharp surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Tharp households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 11 |
| Dairyman | 2 |
| General Labourer | 2 |
| Apprentice Painter | 1 |
| Apprentice Wheelwright | 1 |
| Architects Pupil | 1 |
| Artist | 1 |
| Barmaid | 1 |
| Barmaid (Inn) | 1 |
| Brush Manufacturer Emp. 2 Men & 2 Boys | 1 |
| Butcher | 1 |
| Cowkeeper | 1 |
| Cowman & Carman | 1 |
| Dairymaid | 1 |
| Dress Maker | 1 |
| Dressmaker | 1 |
| Genl Lab | 1 |
| House Painter | 1 |
| Independant Lady | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Miner | 1 |
| Needlewoman (Dom) | 1 |
| No Occupation | 1 |
| Provision Dealer | 1 |
| Segar Merchant | 1 |
| Shipwright | 1 |
| Silversmith & Jeweller | 1 |
| Speed Tenter | 1 |
| Warehouse Girl | 1 |
| Widow Of Wool Proprietor No Occupation | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 67 people were recorded with the Tharp surname. That placed it at #24,104 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 70 in 2016. That gives Tharp a modern rank of #33,700.
An English occupational surname referring to someone who played the harp or worked as a harpist.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Tharp bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.