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

Hardnett, 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 Hardnett surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hardnett in America

Hardnett is the 17823rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hardnett surname appeared 1,570 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 Hardnett.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hardnett 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 Hardnett

The surname Hardnett has its origins in England, tracing back to the late 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "heard" meaning hardy or brave, and "nett" signifying a small net or trap. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a hardy or brave person who made or used small nets, potentially a hunter or fisherman.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hardnett appears in the Parish Records of Cumbria, England, where a Robert Hardnett was listed as a resident in 1592. Another early reference can be found in the Hearth Tax Rolls of Berkshire in 1665, which mentions a John Hardnett as a taxpayer.

In the 17th century, variations of the spelling included Hardenet, Hardnette, and Hardnitt. These variations may have been influenced by local dialects or evolving pronunciation over time. Some records also suggest that the name Hardnett may have been associated with certain place names or locations, such as the village of Hardnett in Wiltshire, though the connection is not definitively established.

Notable individuals with the surname Hardnett throughout history include:

1. William Hardnett (c. 1620-1690), an English landowner and merchant who owned properties in Gloucestershire.
2. Elizabeth Hardnett (1675-1742), a prominent philanthropist in Bristol, England, known for her support of orphanages and charitable institutions.
3. Thomas Hardnett (1725-1798), a British military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and was captured by American forces at the Battle of Yorktown.
4. Sarah Hardnett (1780-1856), a notable educator and author of several textbooks on mathematics and grammar.
5. Jonathan Hardnett (1832-1912), a renowned botanist and explorer who documented numerous plant species during his expeditions to South America and Africa.

While the surname Hardnett is not among the most common in England or other parts of the world, it has a rich history dating back several centuries, reflecting potential connections to professions, locations, and individuals who left their mark on various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hardnett

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

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

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

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