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

Hartwell, 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 Hartwell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hartwell in America

Hartwell is the 5000th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hartwell surname appeared 7,032 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 Hartwell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hartwell 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 Hartwell

The surname Hartwell is of English origin and dates back to the late medieval period. It is a locational name derived from one of the several places in England called Hartwell or Harthill. The name is composed of the Old English words "heorot," meaning "hart" or "stag," and "well," meaning "spring" or "stream." This suggests that the original bearers of the name lived near a stream or spring frequented by deer.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, which mention a William de Herthewelle. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also include references to people with the name Hartwell residing in various counties, such as Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name appeared in various forms, including Hertwell, Hertewelle, and Herthwell, reflecting the variations in spelling common during that period. The Subsidy Rolls of 1327 list a John de Hertwell in Cambridgeshire, while the Poll Tax Returns of 1379 mention a Thomas Hertewell in Yorkshire.

One notable bearer of the name Hartwell was Abbot William Hartwell, who lived in the late 15th century and served as the Abbot of St. Mary's Abbey in York from 1476 to 1509.

In the 16th century, the name Hartwell gained prominence with Sir John Hartwell (c. 1485-1554), a lawyer and member of the English Parliament. He was instrumental in the dissolution of the monasteries under King Henry VIII.

Another prominent figure was Sir Abraham Hartwell (1549-1605), a wealthy merchant and Member of Parliament for Northampton. He was known for his philanthropic endeavors and founded several almshouses in Buckinghamshire.

The 17th century saw the birth of Benjamin Hartwell (1638-1720), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, including "A Treatise on Defamation and Evil Speaking."

In the 18th century, Samuel Hartwell (1715-1792) was a notable English minister and author who wrote extensively on theological subjects.

Throughout history, the Hartwell surname has been associated with various locations, including Hartwell House in Buckinghamshire, a renowned country house that served as a residence for several notable figures, including Louis XVIII of France during his exile from 1809 to 1814.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hartwell

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

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

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

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