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

Hardcastle, 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 Hardcastle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hardcastle in America

Hardcastle is the 10779th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hardcastle surname appeared 2,959 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 Hardcastle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hardcastle 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 Hardcastle

The surname Hardcastle is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "heard" meaning "hardy" or "brave" and "castel" meaning "castle" or "fortified place." It is believed to have originated in the 12th or 13th century as a descriptive name referring to either a person who lived in a fortified castle or someone who had a reputation for being bold or courageous.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hardcastle appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379, where it is spelled "Herdcastell." This provides evidence that the name was present in England during the late Middle Ages. Additionally, the Domesday Book of 1086 mentions several places with similar names, such as "Herdcasfel" and "Herdcasfelda," which could be related to the origins of the surname.

The variant spelling "Hardcastell" is found in records from the 16th century, including in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1545. This spelling likely reflects the pronunciation of the name at that time.

Notable individuals who have borne the surname Hardcastle include Sir Robert Hardcastle (1564-1631), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Hertford in the early 17th century. Another prominent figure was William Hardcastle (1793-1854), a British architect and civil engineer who designed several notable buildings in London.

In the realm of literature, one of the most famous bearers of the name was Mrs. Hardcastle, a character in Oliver Goldsmith's 1773 play "She Stoops to Conquer." This fictional character, known for her humorous misunderstandings, has become a cultural icon and helped to popularize the surname.

Other notable individuals with the surname Hardcastle include Edward Hardcastle (1828-1892), a British industrialist and founder of the Hardcastle Thread Company, and William Hardcastle (1839-1918), a Welsh architect who designed several churches and public buildings in Wales.

While the surname Hardcastle is not as common as some other English surnames, it has a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including politicians, architects, and literary figures.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hardcastle

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

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

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

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