Surname Harkness - Meaning and Origin
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Harkness: What does the surname Harkness mean?
The last name Harkness is of English origin, derived from the English place name "Harness", which is found in North Yorkshire of England. It is a descriptive name derived from the Olde English words "heran" meaning "hear" or "harken" meaning "to obey" and "nes" meaning "promontory". In some cases, the name could be derived from the Olde English word "heahhhersce" which means "high marsh".
The surname Harkness is thought to be medieval in origin and was once popular as a first name in England. During the Middle Ages, the name was recorded as Herkenes from 1228 onwards, and could be found recorded in the rolls and manuscripts of that era.
The Harkness name was primarily used to refer to people who lived near or worked on marshy land, or people who happened to keep themselves to the edge of the marshy land, so they could hear or obey other people's commands from afar.
Today, this surname is quite widespread in the United Kingdom and United States, as well as throughout Britain and North America. It may also be spelled as Harken, Harkins, Harkness, Harness or Harnesser. It is quite a common surname in British-American culture and evokes a sense of obedience and marshy land.
Order DNA origin analysisHarkness: Where does the name Harkness come from?
The last name Harkness is thought to be of English origin, and is mainly found in the United Kingdom and in other parts of the British Isles. According to the website Scotland’s People – where records from the General Register Office of Scotland can be searched – there were over five thousand individuals with the last name Harkness living in Scotland alone as of 2018. Outside of the British Isles, the name Harkness is also found across North America, where the name is most common in the United States. The surname Harkness is also thought to be found in countries of French-speaking origin, such as France, Belgium, and Canada.
In the United States, the Social Security Card Database showed that, as of 2020, the surname Harkness was the 7,133rd most common and most widespread surname. The largest populations of individuals with the Harkness surname in the USA, according to the database, are located in Texas, Pennsylvania, California, New York, and Minnesota. Additional research reveals that the last name is also thought to be prevalent in some former British colonies in Africa, such as Nigeria, Ghana, and the Republic of South Africa.
In conclusion, while the exact origins of the surname Harkness remain unclear, it does appear to be an international last name of English origin that is most common in countries with strong connections to the United Kingdom.
Variations of the surname Harkness
The surname Harkness is of English origin and is a variation of the name Harker. It is derived from the Middle English hark, meaning ‘to listen or pay attention’, and has several variant spellings and international variations.
In England, Harkness is the most common spelling of the surname, while in the United States, Harker is more common. Other variants of the spelling include Harker, Harkers, Harcknes, Harknes, Harknesse, Harks, Harknesses, and Harkyns. Derived from Harkness, these surnames refer to “hearkeners” or “listeners”.
In France, Harkness is written as Harknesse, and in the Netherlands, as Harkes. Other versions of this surname include Harcken, Harckens, Herken, Herkenhoer, Herkens, Horken, and Horkens.
In Scotland, the surname is spelled Harkiss, and in Ireland, Harkan, Harkann, Harken and Harkene are all associated with the name. Other forms are Harkin, Harkyn, and Harkyns.
The Icelandic version of the surname is Harkan, while the German version is Hercken and the Polish version is Harkonski. Other forms of the surname are Harkov, Harkinov, Harkanov, and Harkec.
Finally, the surname Wilson is thought to be a derivative of the Harkness surname, but this is not confirmed. It is speculated that the name Wilson may be a variation of Wilkin, which is a form of the Harkness name.
Famous people with the name Harkness
- Chris Harkness: American soccer midfielder.
- Duncan Harkness: English actor and writer.
- Dan Harkness: Canadian artist and sculptor.
- Ty Harkness: Canadian professional hockey player.
- Walt Harkness: Major League Baseball pitcher.
- Patty Harkness: American former professional tennis player.
- John Harkness: American actor, militiaman, and politician.
- Frank Harkness: American sprinter and active-duty soldier.
- Billy Harkness: Irish artist, dancer, and music hall performer.
- Spencer Harkness: Canadian ice hockey player.