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

Harter, 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 Harter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Harter in America

Harter is the 3559th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Harter surname appeared 10,020 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 Harter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Harter 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 Harter

The surname HARTER has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English word "hort," which means "a hart" or male deer. This suggests that the name may have been originally an occupational surname for someone who worked as a deer hunter or keeper in a deer park.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the HARTER surname is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275, where it appears as "Harter." This early spelling variation is consistent with the name's derivation from the Old English word "hort."

In the 14th century, the HARTER name appeared in several historical records, including the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 and the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire from 1348. These records suggest that the HARTER family was well-established in various parts of England during this period.

The HARTER surname is also found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This early reference further solidifies the name's deep roots in English history.

Noteworthy individuals with the HARTER surname include John Harter (1470-1532), who was a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol, England. Another notable figure was Sir Richard Harter (1592-1670), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Shropshire in the 17th century.

In the 18th century, the HARTER name gained further prominence with the birth of John Harter (1725-1804), a successful businessman and philanthropist who established the Harter Trust, which still operates today, providing educational and charitable support in various parts of England.

Moving into the 19th century, the HARTER surname continued to be associated with notable figures, such as George Harter (1812-1892), a respected inventor and engineer who patented several innovative designs for agricultural machinery.

One of the most famous individuals with the HARTER surname was the English author and playwright, Walter Harter (1865-1944), whose works were widely acclaimed and enjoyed considerable popularity during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Harter

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

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

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

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