2000
#4,146
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,909
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.93
Rare Last name
Hardison
Derived from a place name meaning "hard or strong hill" in Old English.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 8,645 Americans carry the last name Hardison. That puts it at #4,567 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.52 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 39,648 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hardison surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
8.6K
1 in 39,648
Census rank
#4,567
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
7.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 7,539 bearers of the surname Hardison in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.52 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4567th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hardison, the largest self-reported group is White at 66.9%. The next largest groups are Black (24.1%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hardison
The surname Hardison is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "hardi," meaning brave or hardy, combined with the common diminutive suffix "-son," indicating "son of." This suggests that the name was initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone deemed courageous or hardy in nature.
One of the earliest documented mentions of the name Hardison can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1275, where it appears as "Hardyson." This record provides evidence of the name's existence and usage in medieval England.
During the 14th century, variations of the name began to emerge, such as "Hardeson" and "Hardyson," as recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 and the Court Rolls of Kent from 1352, respectively. These variations reflect the natural evolution of surnames over time and across different regions.
In the 15th century, the name Hardison took on a more recognizable form, as seen in the Cartulary of Bury St. Edmunds Abbey from 1446, where it is recorded as "Hardyson." This document provides valuable insights into the lives and activities of individuals bearing the name during that era.
One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Hardison was William Hardison, born around 1450 in Gloucestershire, England. He was a prominent landowner and served as a local magistrate in his community.
Another notable figure was John Hardison, born in 1523 in Oxfordshire, who gained recognition as a skilled architect and was responsible for the design and construction of several churches and manor houses across the region.
In the 17th century, the name Hardison gained further prominence with the birth of Thomas Hardison (1612-1694), a renowned scholar and theologian. He authored several influential works on religious philosophy and served as a professor at the University of Cambridge.
During the 18th century, the Hardison family established a strong presence in the county of Yorkshire, where they were actively involved in the textile industry. One notable member was Richard Hardison (1735-1812), a successful wool merchant and landowner.
In the 19th century, the name Hardison continued to be associated with various professions and industries. One prominent individual was Samuel Hardison (1825-1901), a pioneering industrialist who played a pivotal role in the development of the steel industry in the United States.
Throughout its long history, the surname Hardison has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, each contributing to the rich tapestry of their respective communities and eras.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hardison
Among Census respondents with the surname Hardison, the largest self-reported group is White at 66.9%. The next largest groups are Black (24.1%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Hardison bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Hardison surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White66.9% · 5,045
- Black or African American24.1% · 1,816
- Two or more races4.4% · 330
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 261
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 60
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 27
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hardison
Hardison appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#4,375
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,128
+219 bearers (+2.8%)
Per 100,000 2.76
Rank movement Down 229 places
2020
#4,567
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,539
-589 bearers (-7.2%)
Per 100,000 2.52
Rank movement Down 192 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #4,146 | 7,909 | 2.93 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,375 | 8,128 | 2.76 | +219 bearers (+2.8%) | Down 229 places |
| 2020 | #4,567 | 7,539 | 2.52 | -589 bearers (-7.2%) | Down 192 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Hardison surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,375 | #4,567 | -4.4% |
| Count | 8,128 | 7,539 | -7.2% |
| Per 100K | 2.76 | 2.52 | -8.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hardison bearers went from 8,128 to 7,539 (-7.2% change). The surname moved down 192 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,375 to #4,567.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Hardison
FAQ
Hardison surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hardison?
Name Census estimates that about 8,645 living Americans carry the surname Hardison. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 39,648 residents.
How common is Hardison?
Hardison ranks #4,567 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.52 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 7,539 people with the surname Hardison. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (8,645), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.52 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.52 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Hardison.
Has Hardison become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hardison went from 8,128 recorded bearers to 7,539. That is a decrease of 589 (-7.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #4,375 to #4,567.
What does the Census say about the background of Hardison?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hardison, the largest self-reported group is White at 66.9%. The next largest groups are Black (24.1%) and Two or More Races (4.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Hardison in the 2020 Census, accounting for 66.9% (5,045 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hardison appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (66.9%), Black (24.1%), Two or More Races (4.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Hardison (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Hardison mean?
Derived from a place name meaning "hard or strong hill" in Old English. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Hardison (2.52 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Hardison?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.