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

Harrah, 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 Harrah surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Harrah in America

Harrah is the 12389th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Harrah surname appeared 2,511 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 Harrah.

We can also compare 2010 data for Harrah 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 Harrah

The surname Harrah is believed to have originated in England, with its roots traced back to the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "hara," which means "hare" or "rabbit," suggesting that the name may have initially been a nickname given to someone with a swift or agile nature, akin to the characteristics of a hare.

The earliest documented instances of the name can be found in historical records dating back to the 13th century. One notable mention appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a person named William Hare is listed as residing in the county of Oxfordshire. This early spelling variation, "Hare," provides insight into the name's evolution over time.

In the 14th century, the name Harrah appeared in various forms, including "Harra" and "Harrowe," reflecting the regional dialects and spelling variations common during that era. One notable figure from this period was John Harrowe, a prominent merchant and landowner who lived in the town of Gloucester in the late 1300s.

As the name spread across England, it took on different spellings and variations, such as "Harrah," "Harra," and "Harray." In the 16th century, records show a family named Harrah residing in the county of Northamptonshire, where they owned a substantial estate.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Harrah surname in America can be traced back to the late 17th century, when William Harrah, a merchant from England, settled in the colony of Virginia in 1690. His descendants later migrated westward, establishing themselves in various parts of the country.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Harrah. One such figure was Thomas Harrah (1780-1854), a prominent businessman and landowner in Ohio, who played a significant role in the development of the state's early infrastructure. Another notable Harrah was John Harrah (1820-1905), a successful businessman and industrialist from California, who founded the Harrah's Hotel and Casino empire.

Other individuals with the Harrah surname include Mary Harrah (1892-1978), an American educator and advocate for women's rights, and William F. Harrah (1911-1978), the founder of the Harrah's Entertainment company, which became one of the largest gaming corporations in the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Harrah

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

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

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

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