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

Harpster, 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 Harpster surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Harpster in America

Harpster is the 14495th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Harpster surname appeared 2,058 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 Harpster.

We can also compare 2010 data for Harpster 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 Harpster

The surname Harpster originated in Germany during the late medieval period. It is derived from the German word "harfe," which means "harp," and the suffix "-ster," which denotes an occupation or profession. This suggests that the original bearers of the name were likely harpists or musicians who played the harp.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Harpster can be traced back to the 16th century in various regions of Germany, including Bavaria and Saxony. Some variations in spelling include Harpstier, Harpstär, and Harpster.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Harpster was Hans Harpster, a musician who lived in Nuremberg, Germany, in the late 16th century. He was renowned for his skill in playing the harp and was a member of the city's prestigious guild of musicians.

In the 17th century, the name Harpster appeared in several historical records, such as parish registers and tax rolls. For instance, Johann Harpster was a prominent harpist who performed at the court of the Prince-Bishop of Würzburg in the mid-1600s.

As the name Harpster spread across different regions of Germany, it also became associated with various place names. For example, the village of Harpstedt in Lower Saxony likely derived its name from individuals bearing the surname Harpster who settled there.

One notable figure with the surname Harpster was Friedrich Harpster, a German composer and harpist who lived from 1735 to 1808. He was renowned for his compositions for the harp and his innovative playing techniques, which influenced the development of harp music in Europe.

Another individual of historical significance was Maria Harpster, a German harpist and teacher who lived from 1792 to 1857. She was a pioneer in the field of harp pedagogy and authored several influential instructional books on harp techniques.

In the 19th century, the name Harpster began to spread beyond Germany as individuals immigrated to other parts of Europe and North America. One such individual was Johann Harpster, a German-born harpist who settled in Philadelphia, United States, in the 1840s and became a prominent figure in the city's classical music scene.

Throughout its history, the surname Harpster has remained closely associated with the art of harp playing and music. While it may have evolved and spread to different regions, its roots can be traced back to the skilled harpists and musicians of medieval Germany.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Harpster

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

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

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

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