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

Harlston, 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 Harlston surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Harlston in America

Harlston is the 151532nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Harlston surname appeared 108 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 Harlston.

The history of the last name Harlston

The surname Harlston originated in England during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "hara" meaning hare and "tun" meaning enclosure or settlement, suggesting it may have referred to a place where hares were abundant or a town with a hare-related name.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a landowner named Haroldus de Harestun is mentioned as holding lands in Wiltshire. This spelling variation, along with others like Haralston and Harlaston, were common in the centuries following the Norman Conquest.

During the 13th century, the name Harlston emerged in various records from counties such as Staffordshire and Warwickshire. In 1275, a Roger de Harleston is listed as a landowner in the village of Harleston, Norfolk, which may have been the original place from which the surname originated.

Notable individuals bearing the Harlston surname include Sir John Harlston (c. 1470-1522), a prominent English merchant and alderman who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1521. Another early example is William Harlston (c. 1580-1642), an English clergyman and writer who authored several religious works.

In the 17th century, the name appears in various parish records, such as the baptism of Thomas Harlston in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1621. During this period, the spelling variations Harlston and Harleston were both in use.

One of the most famous individuals with this surname was Sir Ralph Harlston (1670-1741), a British naval officer who distinguished himself in various battles during the War of the Spanish Succession and the War of the Quadruple Alliance. He later served as Governor of Gibraltar from 1736 until his death.

Another notable figure was Richard Harlston (1785-1861), a British explorer and naturalist who traveled extensively in South America and authored several books documenting his expeditions and discoveries in the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Harlston

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

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

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

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