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

Harden, 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 Harden surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Harden in America

Harden is the 1322nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Harden surname appeared 26,617 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 9 people would have the surname Harden.

We can also compare 2010 data for Harden 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 Harden

The surname HARDEN is of English origin and is derived from the Old English word "hærdenu," which means a place overgrown with hardy plants or shrubs. This name likely referred to someone who lived in or near such a place.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname HARDEN can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was recorded as "Hardene." This document was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and property rights in England commissioned by William the Conqueror.

During the medieval period, variations of the name appeared in various records, including "Hardyn," "Hardene," and "Harden." These spellings reflect the different dialects and regional pronunciations prevalent at the time.

One notable bearer of the HARDEN surname was John Harden (c. 1470-1549), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Yorkshire, England. He served as a member of the Guild of Corpus Christi and was a benefactor to the city of York.

In the 16th century, the name HARDEN appeared in the records of the Elizabethan era. William Harden (c. 1530-1599) was a prominent figure in the English Reformation and served as a member of the Privy Council under Queen Elizabeth I.

Another notable individual with the HARDEN surname was Sir Robert Harden (1585-1654), a Member of Parliament and a staunch supporter of the Parliamentarian cause during the English Civil War. He played a crucial role in the defense of the city of London against the Royalist forces.

In the 18th century, the HARDEN name was associated with several authors and scholars. James Harden (1714-1783) was a renowned Scottish poet and playwright, best known for his satirical works on contemporary society.

The 19th century saw the HARDEN surname spread across the British Empire. One notable figure was Sir Henry Harden (1820-1895), a British colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) from 1879 to 1884.

Throughout history, the HARDEN surname has also been linked to various place names, such as Harden in Wiltshire, England, and Harden Moss in Northumberland, England. These locations likely took their names from the original Old English word "hærdenu," further reinforcing the surname's connection to areas overgrown with hardy plants or shrubs.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Harden

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

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

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

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