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

Harber, 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 Harber surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Harber in America

Harber is the 9515th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Harber surname appeared 3,416 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 Harber.

We can also compare 2010 data for Harber 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 Harber

The surname HARBER has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "herebeorg," which means "army shelter" or "place of refuge." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a military encampment or a place of protection during times of conflict.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landowners and tenants in England, there are several entries that potentially refer to the name HARBER or its variations, such as "Hereberd" and "Herberd." These entries are found in various counties, including Norfolk, Suffolk, and Lincolnshire, indicating that the name was present in different regions of the country.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname HARBER was Robert Harber, who lived in Leicestershire in the late 13th century. Another notable figure was John Harber, a merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London, who was active in the 15th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the HARBER name appeared in various records, including parish registers and tax rolls. For instance, Thomas Harber was born in Gloucestershire in 1578, while William Harber, a landowner, was recorded in Oxfordshire in the early 1600s.

In the 18th century, the HARBER surname was associated with several notable figures. One such individual was James Harber (1714-1777), an English clergyman and author who wrote on theological subjects. Another was John Harber (1734-1803), a prominent architect responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in London.

Moving into the 19th century, we find individuals like William Harber (1808-1879), a British politician and Member of Parliament for Thetford, and Charles Harber (1841-1914), a businessman and philanthropist who contributed to the development of the city of Birmingham.

Throughout history, the HARBER surname has been subject to various spelling variations, such as Harber, Harbor, Harbur, and Herber, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal practices of different areas. Additionally, the name has been associated with various place names, including Harbury in Warwickshire and Harberton in Devon, which may have influenced its development and distribution.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Harber

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

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 Harber 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 Harber 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 Harber was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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