Find out how popular the last name Harb is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Harb.

Harb, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Harb surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Harb in America

Harb is the 14761st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Harb surname appeared 2,012 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Harb.

We can also compare 2010 data for Harb to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Harb

The surname HARB is thought to have originated in the Middle East, specifically in regions like Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine. The name is derived from the Arabic word "harb," which means "war" or "battle." This etymology suggests that the name may have been given to individuals who were warriors, soldiers, or associated with military endeavors.

In ancient times, the HARB name was found in various Arabic manuscripts and historical records. One of the earliest known references is in the 9th-century work "Kitab al-Aghani" (Book of Songs), which mentions individuals with the surname HARB who were renowned poets and literary figures.

The name HARB has also been linked to several influential figures throughout history. One notable example is Abu Bakr al-Harb, a 10th-century Arab scholar and writer from Baghdad, whose works covered subjects like grammar, poetry, and literature.

Another prominent individual with the HARB surname was Umar al-Harb, a 12th-century Arab military leader and commander from Damascus. He played a significant role in the Crusades, leading Muslim armies against the Crusader forces.

In the 13th century, the name HARB appears in records related to the Ayyubid dynasty, a Sunni Muslim dynasty that ruled over parts of the Middle East and North Africa. One notable figure from this era was Salah al-Din al-Harb, a military commander and cousin of the famous Sultan Salah al-Din (Saladin).

Moving forward in time, the HARB surname can be found in various historical documents and records from the Ottoman Empire. One example is Mustafa al-Harb, a 16th-century Ottoman scholar and historian who authored works on the history and culture of the region.

Another individual of note is Ali al-Harb, an 18th-century Arab poet and writer from Lebanon. His poetic works were widely renowned and celebrated in the Arab literary tradition.

These are just a few examples of the individuals with the surname HARB who have left their mark on history. The name's rich heritage and association with military prowess, scholarship, and literary achievements underscore its significance in the cultural tapestry of the Middle East.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Harb

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Harb.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Harb was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Harb has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Harb was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Harb, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!