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

Harn, 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 Harn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Harn in America

Harn is the 15278th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Harn surname appeared 1,922 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Harn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Harn 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 Harn

The surname "HARN" is of Anglo-Saxon origin and can be traced back to the early medieval period in England. It is derived from the Old English word "hærn," which means "heron" or "egret," referring to the long-legged wading bird. This name likely originated as a nickname for someone who bore a resemblance to the bird or perhaps had a habit of stalking like a heron.

The earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. In this record, the name appears as "Hærn" and "Haern," reflecting the spelling variations common during that era.

One notable individual with this surname was Sir John Harn, a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament in the 14th century. He was born around 1320 and served as the Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1365. Records indicate that he held substantial land holdings in the county of Gloucestershire, particularly in the village of Painswick.

Another historically significant figure was William Harn, a renowned English composer and organist who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was born in Somerset around 1570 and served as the organist at Winchester Cathedral and later at Christ Church, Oxford. Harn composed several sacred works, including anthems and liturgical music, which were widely performed in his time.

In the 18th century, the surname "HARN" can be found in various parish records and manorial rolls, particularly in the counties of Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire. One notable individual from this period was Thomas Harn, a prominent landowner and justice of the peace in Somerset, who was born in 1712 and died in 1789.

Moving into the 19th century, the surname "HARN" continued to be prevalent in the southwestern regions of England. One notable figure was John Harn, a renowned architect and civil engineer who was born in Gloucestershire in 1820. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings and infrastructure projects, including the Bristol Harbour Railway and the Bristol Floating Harbour.

Another significant individual was Mary Harn, a pioneer in women's education and suffrage movement, who was born in Somerset in 1848. She was an active campaigner for women's rights and played a crucial role in establishing several educational institutions for women in the late 19th century.

While the surname "HARN" is not as common today as it once was, it continues to have a rich history and legacy that can be traced back to the medieval period in England. The name's origins and its association with the heron bird have contributed to its unique character and significance in the annals of English surnames.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Harn

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

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

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

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