2000
#7,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,260
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.58
Rare Last name
Hartford
A locational surname referring to someone from Hertford, England, meaning "deer crossing" or "ford frequented by deer."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,697 Americans carry the last name Hartford. That puts it at #7,773 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.37 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 72,973 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hartford surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Hartford with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.7K
1 in 72,973
Census rank
#7,773
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,096 bearers of the surname Hartford in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.37 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7773rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hartford, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.3%. The next largest groups are Black (8.5%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hartford
Among Census respondents with the surname Hartford, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.3%. The next largest groups are Black (8.5%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Hartford bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Hartford surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.3% · 3,410
- Black or African American8.5% · 347
- Two or more races4.3% · 178
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 116
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 32
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 13
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hartford
Hartford appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#7,660
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,336
+76 bearers (+1.8%)
Per 100,000 1.47
Rank movement Down 439 places
2020
#7,773
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,096
-240 bearers (-5.5%)
Per 100,000 1.37
Rank movement Down 113 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,221 | 4,260 | 1.58 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,660 | 4,336 | 1.47 | +76 bearers (+1.8%) | Down 439 places |
| 2020 | #7,773 | 4,096 | 1.37 | -240 bearers (-5.5%) | Down 113 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Hartford surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,660 | #7,773 | -1.5% |
| Count | 4,336 | 4,096 | -5.5% |
| Per 100K | 1.47 | 1.37 | -6.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hartford bearers went from 4,336 to 4,096 (-5.5% change). The surname moved down 113 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,660 to #7,773.
FAQ
Hartford surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hartford?
Name Census estimates that about 4,697 living Americans carry the surname Hartford. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 72,973 residents.
How common is Hartford?
Hartford ranks #7,773 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.37 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,096 people with the surname Hartford. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,697), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.37 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.37 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Hartford.
Has Hartford become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hartford went from 4,336 recorded bearers to 4,096. That is a decrease of 240 (-5.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,660 to #7,773.
What does the Census say about the background of Hartford?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hartford, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.3%. The next largest groups are Black (8.5%) and Two or More Races (4.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Hartford in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.3% (3,410 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hartford appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.3%), Black (8.5%), Two or More Races (4.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Hartford (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Hartford mean?
A locational surname referring to someone from Hertford, England, meaning "deer crossing" or "ford frequented by deer." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Hartford (1.37 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Hartford?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.