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

Harward, 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 Harward surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Harward in America

Harward is the 15056th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Harward surname appeared 1,961 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 Harward.

We can also compare 2010 data for Harward 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 Harward

The surname HARWARD is of English origin, traced back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the Old English words "hearg" meaning "heathen temple" and "weard" meaning "guard" or "keeper." This suggests that the name's earliest bearers may have been guardians or caretakers of pagan shrines or sacred sites.

In its earliest recorded forms, the name appeared as "Hereward" or "Hereward" in various medieval records and manuscripts. One notable example is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a landowner named Hereward is listed as holding estates in Lincolnshire.

The surname later evolved into variations such as Harward, Harewood, and Harwood, possibly influenced by the Old English word "har" meaning "hoar" or "gray," referring to the color of hair or the appearance of a person.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was Sir John Harward, a 14th-century English knight and landowner in Worcestershire. Another notable bearer was William Harward, born around 1480, who served as a member of the Privy Council during the reign of King Henry VIII.

In the 16th century, the Harward family held significant influence in the county of Shropshire, where they owned lands and properties around the village of Harward. This place name likely contributed to the prominence of the surname in that region.

During the English Civil War, Colonel John Harward (1606-1670) was a prominent Royalist commander who fought for King Charles I. He was later rewarded with lands in Ireland after the Restoration.

In the realm of literature, Edward Harward (1589-1662) was an English poet and playwright who authored several works, including the play "The Anti-Norman."

Another notable bearer was Sir John Harward (1719-1789), a British naval officer who served with distinction during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War.

These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have borne the surname HARWARD, reflecting its enduring presence in England and its role in various aspects of British society and history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Harward

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

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

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

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