Harril
A name derived from the Old English words "here" and "rill" meaning "army brook".
Name Census estimates that about 1 living Americans carry the first name Harril. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Harril today is around 100 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Harril births was 1935 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Harril. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Harril is about 100 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Harrils were born before 1936.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Harril. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
1
~ 1 in 342,754,338 Americans
Peak year
1935
5 babies that year
Average age
100
years old
1935 SSA rank
#3,879
Tracked since 1935
Popularity
Harril: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Harril by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Harril during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Harril
The given name Harril is a rather obscure one, with its origins tracing back to the ancient Akkadian language of Mesopotamia, spoken in the region of modern-day Iraq. It is believed to have derived from the Akkadian word "harralu," which means "traveler" or "wanderer." This suggests that the name may have initially been bestowed upon individuals who led a nomadic lifestyle or were known for their adventurous spirit.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Harril can be found in the Epic of Gilgamesh, an ancient Mesopotamian epic poem dating back to the third millennium BCE. In this literary work, Harril is mentioned as a minor character, a servant or companion to the legendary hero Gilgamesh. This reference provides a glimpse into the antiquity of the name and its usage in the cultural fabric of ancient Mesopotamia.
As civilizations rose and fell across the region, the name Harril seems to have faded into obscurity, resurfacing occasionally in various historical accounts and records. One notable bearer of the name was Harril ibn Qatan, a renowned Arabian poet who lived in the 8th century CE. His poetic works, which often celebrated the beauty of the desert and the virtues of Bedouin life, have been preserved and studied by scholars of Arabic literature.
In the 12th century, a monk named Harril of Canterbury is mentioned in the chronicles of the Benedictine monastery in Canterbury, England. He is described as a skilled scribe and illuminator, renowned for his intricate calligraphy and the beautiful illuminations he created in religious manuscripts.
Fast-forwarding to the 16th century, a French explorer named Harril de Montfort is said to have accompanied Jacques Cartier on his voyages to the New World. Harril is credited with being one of the first Europeans to document encounters with the indigenous peoples of what is now Canada, providing valuable insights into their way of life and customs.
Another notable figure bearing the name Harril was Harril Frampton, a British philosopher and writer who lived in the 18th century. His works, which explored themes of reason, morality, and the nature of human existence, were influential during the Age of Enlightenment and continue to be studied by scholars of that era.
While the name Harril may not be as commonplace as some others, its rich history and connections to various cultures and time periods make it a fascinating subject of study for onomatologists and historians alike.
People
Harril + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Harril as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Harril: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Harril?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Harril going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 342,754,338 US residents.
Is Harril a common name?
We classify Harril as "Very Rare". It ranks above 3.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Harril most popular?
The single biggest year for Harril was 1935, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Harril is about 100 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Harril in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Harril a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Harril in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Harril still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Harril in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Harril can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Harril?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.