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

Harleston, 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 Harleston surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Harleston in America

Harleston is the 75799th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Harleston surname appeared 254 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Harleston.

We can also compare 2010 data for Harleston 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 Harleston

The surname Harleston originated in England and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the place name Harleston, which comes from the Old English words "hara" meaning hare and "tun" meaning farm or settlement. This suggests that the name may have originated from an area known for its abundance of hares.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Harleston can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk from the year 1195, where a Thomas de Harleston is mentioned. The Pipe Rolls were financial records kept by the English Crown, indicating that individuals with this surname held some significance during that time.

In the 13th century, a William de Harleston was listed in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, which were administrative records compiled between 1274 and 1275. This further solidifies the presence of the Harleston surname in Norfolk, England, during the medieval period.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not mention the name Harleston directly. However, it does list the village of Herleston, which is likely the precursor to the modern-day spelling of Harleston.

One notable individual with the surname Harleston was Sir John Harleston, who was born in Norfolk around 1360 and served as a Member of Parliament for the county in 1397 and 1399. He was also appointed as Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk in 1394.

Another prominent figure was Sir Clement Harleston, who was born in the late 14th century and served as the High Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk in 1425. He was also a member of the Harleston family of Norfolk, which held significant land and influence in the region during the medieval period.

In the 16th century, a Robert Harleston was recorded as the Mayor of Norwich, one of the most important cities in Norfolk, in 1533. This further demonstrates the prominence of individuals with this surname in the local community and governance.

Thomas Harleston, born in Norfolk in the early 17th century, was a notable Puritan minister who emigrated to New England in 1637. He served as the minister of the First Church of Watertown, Massachusetts, and played a role in the early religious history of the American colonies.

Throughout the centuries, the surname Harleston has also been associated with various place names in Norfolk, such as Harleston village, Harleston Park, and Harleston Hall, further solidifying its connection to the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Harleston

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

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

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

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