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

Hargrave, 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 Hargrave surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hargrave in America

Hargrave is the 4989th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hargrave surname appeared 7,037 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Hargrave.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hargrave 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 Hargrave

The surname HARGRAVE is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is a locational surname, derived from the place name "Hargrave" in the county of Northamptonshire, England. The name is believed to come from the Old English words "hara" meaning "hare" and "graf" meaning "grove" or "thicket," suggesting the name refers to a grove or thicket where hares were found.

The earliest known record of the name HARGRAVE dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Haregrave." This ancient text, commissioned by William the Conqueror, was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England at the time. The presence of the name in this historic document underscores its long-standing English heritage.

During the 13th century, the name HARGRAVE began appearing in various records and manuscripts, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which listed landowners and their holdings. One notable bearer of the name from this period was Sir John Hargrave, a knight who fought in the Scottish Wars of Independence under King Edward I in the late 13th and early 14th centuries.

In the 16th century, the HARGRAVE family established themselves as prominent landowners in the county of Suffolk. Sir William Hargrave (1495-1578) was a notable figure during this time, serving as a Member of Parliament and holding significant estates in the area.

The 17th century saw the rise of several distinguished individuals with the HARGRAVE surname. Francis Hargrave (1741-1821) was a renowned legal scholar and barrister who made significant contributions to the study of English law. He authored numerous works, including "A Collection of Tracts Relative to the Law of England" and "An Argument in Defence of Literary Property."

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir William Hargrave (1762-1839), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. He was knighted for his bravery and distinguished service, and his exploits were celebrated in contemporary accounts.

As the HARGRAVE name spread across England and beyond, various spellings emerged, including Hargrove, Hargreave, and Hargrave. The name also became associated with several place names, such as Hargrave Park in Stansted, Essex, and Hargrave Hall in Northamptonshire, further solidifying its historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hargrave

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

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

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

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