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

Hartford, 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 Hartford surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hartford in America

Hartford is the 7660th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hartford surname appeared 4,336 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 Hartford.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hartford 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 Hartford

The surname Hartford originates from England and dates back to the medieval period. It is a locational surname, derived from the place name Hartford, which was the name of several towns and villages across England. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English words "heort" meaning deer or stag, and "ford" meaning a shallow crossing of a river.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Hartford can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book mentions a landowner named Willelmus de Hertford, indicating the presence of the surname in the 11th century.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire from 1273, which mentions a person named Johannes de Hertford. The Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1285 also list a person named Robertus de Hertford.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Hartford was Sir Nicholas Hartford (c. 1330 - 1399), who was a prominent English landowner and military commander during the Hundred Years' War. He served under King Edward III and was knighted for his bravery in battle.

Another notable figure with the surname Hartford was Sir John Hartford (c. 1450 - 1522), who was a Member of Parliament for the borough of Hertford during the reign of King Henry VIII. He played a significant role in local politics and administration.

During the 16th century, the surname Hartford was also associated with the town of Hartford in Cheshire, England. One of the earliest recorded individuals from this area was Thomas Hartford (c. 1520 - 1588), who was a prominent landowner and served as a Justice of the Peace in Cheshire.

In the 17th century, the Hartford surname gained recognition through the exploits of Reverend Samuel Hartford (1610 - 1673), who was an English Puritan minister and one of the founders of the Colony of Connecticut in North America. He played a crucial role in the establishment of the town of Hartford, which later became the capital of Connecticut.

Throughout history, several other individuals with the surname Hartford have made notable contributions in various fields, including literature, academia, and military service. However, the details of their lives and accomplishments may be obscured by the passage of time and the limitations of historical records.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hartford

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

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

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

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