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

Harlson, 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 Harlson surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Harlson in America

Harlson is the 112365th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Harlson surname appeared 145 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Harlson.

The history of the last name Harlson

The surname Harlson finds its origins in England, dating back to the early Medieval period. Derived from Old English, the name is believed to stem from "Har," meaning "army" or "warrior," and "son," indicating "son of." This suggests it originally referred to "the son of a warrior" or "the son of a soldier."

Harlson was most prevalent in the north of England, particularly Yorkshire and nearby counties. The name shares phonetic similarities with the Old Norse word "Haraldr," which was fairly common in Anglo-Saxon England after the Viking invasions, further supporting its presence in the northern parts of the country. Historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries contain variations of the name, such as Harleson and Harlsen, attesting to its endurance over time.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Harlson appears in a 1332 tax roll from Yorkshire, where a Henricus Harleson is listed. This document provides invaluable insight into the socioeconomic status of individuals bearing the name during that time. Additionally, another early reference comes from a 1379 poll tax register, also from Yorkshire, noting a Jane Harlesone.

One notable figure with this surname is Richard Harlson, born around 1634 and passing around 1701. A farmer from Lincolnshire, England, Richard's detailed will, dated 1701, offers a glimpse into the life and times of a Harlson family during the post-Middle Ages. Another historical figure is Thomas Harlson, born in 1750 and died in 1823, who was known for his contributions to local governance in Lancashire.

As the name evolved, it became less common in England but saw new prominence in the United States during the 19th and 20th centuries due to immigration. For example, John Harlson, born in 1820 in Yorkshire and emigrated to the United States in the 1840s, establishing a lineage in the New World. His descendants include Reverend Samuel Harlson, born in 1854 and passed in 1921, recognized for his work in community development in Massachusetts.

The allure of the Harlson surname continues through historical documents and family histories, providing a rich tapestry of cultural and social history dating back several centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Harlson

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

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 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Harlson 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.

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!