Harman last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Harman

Derived from the Old English words "here" and "mann," referring to a military man or soldier.

Harman, 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 Harman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Harman in America

Harman is the 2458th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Harman surname appeared 14,658 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Harman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Harman 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 2458 2328 5.43%
Count 14,658 14,237 2.91%
Proportion per 100k 4.97 5.28 -6.05%

The history of the last name Harman

The surname HARMAN has its origins in England, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "heargarm," which translates to "heathen army" or "pagan warrior." This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals who were part of invading armies or those who fought against the Christian armies during the early medieval period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the HARMAN surname appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Hareman." This entry provides evidence that the name was present in England shortly after the Norman Conquest. It is likely that the name evolved over time, with various spellings such as Harman, Harmon, and Harmyn being used interchangeably.

During the 13th century, the HARMAN surname can be found in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which mentions a "Willelmus Hareman." This suggests that the name had spread across different regions of England by this time.

In the 14th century, the HARMAN surname appeared in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, where a "Johannes Harman" is listed. This record provides further evidence of the name's presence in different parts of the country.

One notable individual bearing the HARMAN surname was William Harman (1457-1530), who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1493. He played a significant role in the construction of several religious buildings, including the Leadenhall Chapel.

Another notable figure was John Harman (1585-1670), an English clergyman and author who served as the Bishop of Bath and Wells. His works included religious treatises and sermons published during the 17th century.

In the 18th century, Thomas Harman (1737-1817) was a British naval officer who achieved the rank of Admiral. He played a crucial role in several naval battles during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

The HARMAN surname also has connections to place names in England. For instance, the village of Harmondsworth in Middlesex is believed to have derived its name from the Old English "Heremundes wurth," which means "Heremunde's enclosure." This suggests a potential link between the surname and the place name.

Throughout its history, the HARMAN surname has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including military personnel, clergymen, authors, and public figures. While the exact origins and meanings may have evolved over time, the name has maintained a strong presence in England and other parts of the world where English surnames have taken root.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Harman

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

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 Harman was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 94.03% 13,783
Non-Hispanic Black Only 1.39% 204
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.76% 111
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.38% 56
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.60% 235
Hispanic Origin 1.84% 270

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 Harman has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 94.03% 95.10% -1.13%
Black 1.39% 1.32% 5.17%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.76% 0.51% 39.37%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.38% 0.40% -5.13%
Two or More Races 1.60% 1.31% 19.93%
Hispanic 1.84% 1.37% 29.28%

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

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

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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!

"Harman last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 3, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/harman-surname-popularity/.

"Harman last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/harman-surname-popularity/. Accessed 3 December, 2024

Harman last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/harman-surname-popularity/.

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