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

Harlan, 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 Harlan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Harlan in America

Harlan is the 3188th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Harlan surname appeared 11,339 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Harlan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Harlan 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 Harlan

The surname Harlan has its origins in medieval England, derived from the Old English words "hara" meaning hare and "lan" meaning a small clearing or meadow. It is believed to have originated as a descriptive name for someone who lived near a clearing frequented by hares.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Harlan name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Harlene" in reference to a location in Oxfordshire. The name likely evolved from this place name, with various spellings such as Harlene, Harleyne, and Harlayne appearing in historical records throughout the Middle Ages.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named William de Harlayne was recorded as a landowner in Warwickshire. He is believed to be one of the earliest documented individuals with the Harlan surname.

During the 16th century, the Harlan family established themselves in Staffordshire, where they held estates and properties. John Harlan, born in 1554, was a prominent member of the family during this time and served as a magistrate in the county.

One of the most famous individuals with the Harlan surname was Sir Edward Harlan, born in 1624. He was a renowned English judge and Chief Baron of the Exchequer during the reign of King Charles II. His legal expertise and decisions had a significant impact on English common law.

Another noteworthy Harlan was Michael Harlan, born in 1675, who was a prominent Quaker minister and author in Pennsylvania. He played a key role in the early Quaker community in the American colonies.

In the 18th century, the Harlan family expanded their presence in the American colonies, with several members settling in various regions. James Harlan, born in 1736 in Pennsylvania, was a soldier and surveyor who served during the American Revolutionary War.

Throughout its history, the Harlan surname has been associated with various place names, including Harlan County in Kentucky, Harlan Township in Ohio, and the town of Harlan in Iowa, among others. These place names serve as a testament to the enduring legacy of the Harlan family in different parts of the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Harlan

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

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

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

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