2000
#149,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Harvester
An occupational surname referring to someone who harvested crops.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Harvester. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Harvester 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.
Bearers in the US
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Harvester in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Harvester, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.5%) and Black (7.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Harvester
The surname Harvester originated in England during the Middle Ages, derived from the Old English word "hærfæst," which referred to the autumn harvest season. It was initially an occupational name given to those who worked as harvesters, responsible for gathering crops during the autumn months.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Harvester can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Hervester." This document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, served as a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England.
During the 13th century, the name was often spelled as "Hervester" or "Hervister," reflecting the linguistic variations of the time. As surnames became more standardized, the spelling evolved to the modern form of "Harvester."
Notable individuals who bore the Harvester surname include Sir John Harvester (c. 1450-1521), a prominent landowner and member of the English gentry in Norfolk. Another notable figure was William Harvester (1568-1634), a renowned scholar and theologian who served as the Dean of Winchester Cathedral.
In the 17th century, the Harvester family established roots in the county of Wiltshire, where the village of Harvester's Green still bears their name today. This place name is a testament to the family's historical connection to the area.
One of the most celebrated individuals with the Harvester surname was Elizabeth Harvester (1714-1789), a renowned author and poet whose works explored themes of nature and the agrarian lifestyle. Her collection of poems, "The Seasons of the Harvester," was widely acclaimed during her lifetime.
Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Harvester (1812-1886), a British diplomat and statesman who served as the Ambassador to Russia during the reign of Queen Victoria. His contributions to fostering diplomatic relations between the two nations were highly regarded.
The Harvester surname has a rich historical legacy, deeply rooted in England's agricultural past. Its origins as an occupational name reflect the importance of the harvest season in medieval society, and its evolution over centuries serves as a testament to the enduring nature of surnames and their connections to place and occupation.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Harvester
Among Census respondents with the surname Harvester, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.5%) and Black (7.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Harvester 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 Harvester surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.0% · 85
- Hispanic or Latino9.5% · 10
- Black or African American7.6% · 8
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Harvester
Harvester 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
#141,140
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+17 bearers (+16.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 8,188 places
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-13 bearers (-11.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,849 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #149,328 | 101 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #141,140 | 118 | 0.04 | +17 bearers (+16.8%) | Up 8,188 places |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | -13 bearers (-11.0%) | Down 11,849 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 Harvester 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 | #141,140 | #152,989 | -8.4% |
| Count | 118 | 105 | -11.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Harvester bearers went from 118 to 105 (-11.0% change). The surname moved down 11,849 positions in the national ranking, going from #141,140 to #152,989.
FAQ
Harvester surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Harvester?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Harvester. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Harvester?
Harvester ranks #152,989 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 105 people with the surname Harvester. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Harvester.
Has Harvester become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Harvester went from 118 recorded bearers to 105. That is a decrease of 13 (-11.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #141,140 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Harvester?
Among Census respondents with the surname Harvester, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.5%) and Black (7.6%). 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 Harvester in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.0% (85 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Harvester appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.0%), Hispanic (9.5%), Black (7.6%). 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 Harvester (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 Harvester mean?
An occupational surname referring to someone who harvested crops. 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 Harvester (0.04 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 people share the surname Harvester?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.