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

Harcum, 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 Harcum surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Harcum in America

Harcum is the 41501st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Harcum surname appeared 524 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Harcum.

We can also compare 2010 data for Harcum 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 Harcum

The surname Harcum is of English origin, with its earliest roots traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "hara" meaning hare and "cumb" meaning a valley or hollow, suggesting that the name may have originated from a location where hares were found in abundance.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, a census-like survey conducted in 1273, where it is mentioned as "Harecumbe." This early spelling variation provides insight into the name's etymology and its connection to a specific geographic area.

During the Middle Ages, the Harcum surname was primarily concentrated in the counties of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, with occasional mentions found in neighboring regions. It is worth noting that the name's geographical distribution was likely influenced by the migration patterns of its early bearers.

In the 16th century, the Harcum surname gained prominence when Thomas Harcum (1520-1588) became a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of London. His success and influence likely contributed to the surname's wider recognition and dissemination across England.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the Harcum surname. However, it does mention several places with similar names, such as "Harecumbe" and "Harecumb," further reinforcing the name's connection to specific locations.

Notable individuals bearing the Harcum surname throughout history include:

1. Sir Edward Harcum (1640-1718), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Bedfordshire.
2. John Harcum (1705-1777), a prominent landowner and influential figure in colonial Virginia, United States.
3. Elizabeth Harcum (1730-1812), an early settler in the American colonies and matriarch of the Harcum family in Virginia.
4. William Harcum (1788-1862), an English inventor and engineer known for his contributions to textile machinery.
5. Charles Harcum (1870-1941), an American educator and the first president of Bluefield State College in West Virginia.

While the Harcum surname may have evolved over time and spread across different regions, its origins remain firmly rooted in the English countryside, where it likely emerged as a descriptive name for those residing in areas abundant with hares.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Harcum

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

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

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

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