2000
#2,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 14,237
First available Census row
Per 100,000 5.28
Uncommon Last name
Harman
Derived from the Old English words "here" and "mann," referring to a military man or soldier.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 15,777 Americans carry the last name Harman. That puts it at #2,561 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.60 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 21,725 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Harman surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Harman with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
16K
1 in 21,725
Census rank
#2,561
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
14K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 13,758 bearers of the surname Harman in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.60 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2561st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Harman, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.0%) and Hispanic (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Harman
Among Census respondents with the surname Harman, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.0%) and Hispanic (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Harman bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Harman surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.5% · 12,453
- Two or more races4.0% · 545
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 418
- Black or African American1.3% · 173
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 108
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 61
Timeline
Historical Census data for Harman
Harman appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#2,458
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 14,658
+421 bearers (+3.0%)
Per 100,000 4.97
Rank movement Down 130 places
2020
#2,561
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,758
-900 bearers (-6.1%)
Per 100,000 4.60
Rank movement Down 103 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,328 | 14,237 | 5.28 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,458 | 14,658 | 4.97 | +421 bearers (+3.0%) | Down 130 places |
| 2020 | #2,561 | 13,758 | 4.60 | -900 bearers (-6.1%) | Down 103 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Harman surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,458 | #2,561 | -4.2% |
| Count | 14,658 | 13,758 | -6.1% |
| Per 100K | 4.97 | 4.60 | -7.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Harman bearers went from 14,658 to 13,758 (-6.1% change). The surname moved down 103 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,458 to #2,561.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Harman
FAQ
Harman surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Harman?
Name Census estimates that about 15,777 living Americans carry the surname Harman. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 21,725 residents.
How common is Harman?
Harman ranks #2,561 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.60 per 100,000 residents, which is about 5 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 13,758 people with the surname Harman. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (15,777), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.6 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.60 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 5 of them to have the surname Harman.
Has Harman become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Harman went from 14,658 recorded bearers to 13,758. That is a decrease of 900 (-6.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,458 to #2,561.
What does the Census say about the background of Harman?
Among Census respondents with the surname Harman, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.0%) and Hispanic (3.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Harman in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.5% (12,453 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Harman appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.5%), Two or More Races (4.0%), Hispanic (3.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Harman (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Harman mean?
Derived from the Old English words "here" and "mann," referring to a military man or soldier. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Harman (4.60 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Harman?
You can see how many people are called Harman on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.