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

Harville, 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 Harville surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Harville in America

Harville is the 7958th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Harville surname appeared 4,157 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 Harville.

We can also compare 2010 data for Harville 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 Harville

The surname Harville has its roots in England, originating from the Old English words "hara" meaning hare and "vill" meaning a town or village. It likely referred to someone who came from a town or settlement where hares were abundant.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Harville dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Harevilla." This suggests that the name was well-established in England by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

During the Middle Ages, various spellings of the name emerged, including Hareville, Harevill, and Hairvill. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time.

In the 13th century, a prominent figure bearing the name Harville was Sir John de Harville, a knight who fought in the Welsh Wars under King Edward I. He is mentioned in several historical records from that period.

Another notable bearer of the Harville name was Sir Henry Harville, who lived in the 15th century and served as a member of Parliament for Berkshire. He was also a landowner and is recorded in various legal documents of the era.

In the 16th century, the Harville family established themselves in the county of Somerset, where they owned estates and held positions of influence. One member, William Harville (1510-1582), was a renowned scholar and theologian who served as a tutor to the children of King Henry VIII.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, Captain Thomas Harville (1620-1677) fought for the Parliamentarian forces and played a role in several battles, including the Siege of Colchester.

The 18th century saw the rise of Sir John Harville (1745-1819), a prominent naval officer who served with distinction during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. He was honored for his bravery and leadership, and his exploits are recorded in numerous historical accounts of the time.

Throughout its history, the Harville surname has been closely associated with England, particularly the counties of Somerset, Berkshire, and Hampshire. While the name has spread to other parts of the world, its origins can be traced back to the early medieval period in England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Harville

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

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

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

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