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

Harvell, 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 Harvell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Harvell in America

Harvell is the 7750th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Harvell surname appeared 4,284 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 Harvell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Harvell 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 Harvell

The surname Harvell has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "hær" meaning "rock" and "fell" meaning "hill" or "ridge." Consequently, the name likely originated as a topographic name, given to someone who lived near a rocky hill or ridge.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a certain John Harvell is mentioned. This suggests the name was already in use by the 14th century in the West Midlands region of England.

In the 15th century, the name appears in the Feet of Fines for Essex, dated 1428, which refers to a Thomas Harvell of Brentwood. This indicates the name had spread to other parts of England by that time.

The Harvell surname is also linked to the village of Harvel in Kent, which was formerly known as "Harewell" or "Harvill" in ancient records. It is possible that some bearers of the name originated from this location or nearby areas.

Notable individuals with the surname Harvell include Sir John Harvell (1570-1642), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Reigate. Another prominent figure was Robert Harvell (1632-1704), a clergyman and author who wrote several theological works.

In the 18th century, the name appears in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Islington, London, with the baptism of Samuel Harvell in 1730. This suggests the family had established itself in the capital city by that time.

Other notable bearers of the Harvell surname include James Harvell (1792-1868), a British industrialist and philanthropist, and Henry Harvell (1845-1912), a renowned historian and author who wrote extensively on the history of the English countryside.

While the Harvell name has undergone some variations in spelling over the centuries, such as Harville, Harvill, and Harvil, the core roots of the name remain rooted in the Old English language and the geographical features of the English landscape.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Harvell

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

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

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

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