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

Hartness, 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 Hartness surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hartness in America

Hartness is the 15871st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hartness surname appeared 1,833 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 Hartness.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hartness 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 Hartness

The surname Hartness has its origins in England, tracing back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "heorot" meaning "hart" or "deer" and "næss" meaning "headland" or "promontory," suggesting a connection to a geographical location that was once a prominent hunting ground for deer.

One of the earliest known references to the name Hartness can be found in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire from 1208, which mentions a William de Hertenes. This suggests that the name was already in use and established in the region during the medieval period.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various forms in historical records, such as Hertenes, Hertnes, and Hartnes. These variations likely reflect the different dialects and spellings prevalent in different regions at the time.

During the 14th century, the surname Hartness began to appear more frequently in various parts of England, particularly in Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Lincolnshire. One notable individual from this period was John de Hartnes, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379.

The 16th century saw the emergence of several notable Hartness individuals, including William Hartness, a merchant and landowner in Yorkshire, born around 1530. Another prominent figure was Robert Hartness, born in 1575 in Lincolnshire, who served as a member of the local gentry.

In the 17th century, the Hartness family continued to establish themselves in various parts of England. One notable individual was Thomas Hartness, born in 1612 in Lancashire, who was a successful businessman and landowner.

The 18th century witnessed the rise of several influential Hartness individuals, including Sir John Hartness (1710-1788), a prominent politician and landowner in Yorkshire. Another notable figure was William Hartness (1745-1823), a respected scholar and author who published works on history and literature.

As the centuries progressed, the Hartness name continued to be represented across various fields and professions, with individuals making their mark in areas such as law, medicine, military, and academia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hartness

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

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

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

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