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

Harrod, 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 Harrod surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Harrod in America

Harrod is the 6855th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Harrod surname appeared 4,909 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Harrod.

We can also compare 2010 data for Harrod 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 Harrod

The surname Harrod has its origins in England, and it is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, specifically in the 12th or 13th century. The name is thought to derive from the Old English word "hara," meaning "hare," and is likely an occupational surname given to someone who hunted or kept hares.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Harrod can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a person named John Harehod is listed. This spelling variation underscores the name's connection to the Old English word for hare.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various records across different counties in England, including Hertfordshire, Warwickshire, and Lincolnshire. The spellings varied, with forms such as Harehod, Harerod, and Harrod being documented.

The Domesday Book, a manuscript compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conquer, does not contain any direct references to the surname Harrod. However, it does mention several place names that may have influenced the development of the surname, such as Harrold in Bedfordshire and Harowdon in Yorkshire.

One notable individual with the surname Harrod was Sir John Harrode (c. 1455 - 1512), a wealthy merchant and Member of Parliament for the City of London during the reigns of Henry VII and Henry VIII.

Another prominent figure was Thomas Harrod (1687 - 1744), an English architect and builder who designed several churches and other structures in the Baroque style in London and the surrounding areas.

In the 18th century, Henry Harrod (1742 - 1819) established a successful grocery business in London, which later became the famous Harrods department store. His son, Charles Henry Harrod (1799 - 1885), expanded the business and laid the foundation for its reputation as a premier shopping destination.

During the Victorian era, William Henry Harrod (1836 - 1914) was a notable English cricketer who played for Surrey County Cricket Club and made appearances in several first-class matches.

In the 20th century, Roy Harrod (1900 - 1978) was an influential British economist who made significant contributions to the field of economic growth theory and is best known for his work on the "Harrod-Domar model."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Harrod

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

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

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

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