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

Harrelson, 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 Harrelson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Harrelson in America

Harrelson is the 4428th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Harrelson surname appeared 8,023 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Harrelson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Harrelson 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 Harrelson

The surname HARRELSON is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, derived from the Old English words "hara" meaning "hare" and "hyll" meaning "hill" or "slope." This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name may have hailed from a place associated with a hill frequented by hares.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379, where it appears as "Harelson." This early spelling variation highlights the name's evolution over time.

The HARRELSON surname has a strong connection to the county of Yorkshire in northern England. Historically, the name has been particularly prevalent in the areas around Doncaster and Rotherham.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various records, including the Parish Registers of Yorkshire. One notable example is William Harrelson, who was recorded in the Registers of Doncaster in 1587.

As the name spread across England, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Harelston, Harrilson, and Harillson, before eventually settling on the modern spelling of HARRELSON.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname was Robert Harrelson, who was born in 1612 in Rotherham, Yorkshire. He was a prominent landowner and served as a magistrate in the local community.

Another notable figure was John Harrelson (1726-1804), a British military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. He was born in Doncaster and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before retiring from service.

In the 19th century, the HARRELSON name gained recognition through the work of James Harrelson (1832-1899), a renowned architect from Yorkshire. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in the region, including the Doncaster Town Hall.

Across the Atlantic, the name found its way to the United States, with several individuals bearing the HARRELSON surname making significant contributions. One such individual was Samuel Harrelson (1825-1892), a farmer and landowner from Tennessee, who played a role in the establishment of the local agricultural community.

Another noteworthy figure was William Harrelson (1870-1945), a businessman and philanthropist from North Carolina. He founded the Harrelson Textile Company, which became a major employer in the region, and was known for his charitable work in supporting education and community development.

Throughout its history, the HARRELSON surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, military officers, architects, farmers, and businessmen. While its origins can be traced back to medieval England, the name has since spread across the globe, leaving a lasting impact on the communities it has touched.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Harrelson

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

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!