Surname Harte - Meaning and Origin
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Harte: What does the surname Harte mean?
The last name Harte is derived from the German surname “Harte” which means “brave, strong, and hardy”, from the Old German “hard, hardi”. The surname Harte first emerged in the Middle Ages, and is primarily used in the English-speaking world to describe a brave, courageous, and strong-willed person. The name was originally used as a descriptive nickname and later turned into a family name, with its first known bearers being the Anglo-Saxon tribe of Bamburgh, Northumberland, England.
The surname originated a long time ago and is one of the oldest surnames in Britain, with records dating back to the 12th century. An early bearer of the name is Abelard de Harte, listed in the Assize Rolls of Lincoln in 1219. The Harte family were originally from Sussex and later moved to Kent, where two branches of the family set up a large estate they called Harte Court. The name then spread to other parts of England, and eventually to America, where the spelling changed to “Harte”.
The name Harte is most popular in the United States, where it ranks as the 1,725th most common last name. Those who bear the Harte surname tend to be loyal, persistent, and hardworking, and are proud of their family’s heritage and accomplishments. These people are very independent and tend to be successful in business and in life, striving to do their best for their families and pass down their legacy to the next generation.
Order DNA origin analysisHarte: Where does the name Harte come from?
The last name Harte is common throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and the United States. In England, the Harte surname is particularly concentrated in the counties of Cheshire, Lancashire and Yorkshire. It is also particularly common in certain areas of rural Ireland, including County Mayo, County Meath and County Cavan.
In Australia, the Harte name is widespread, particularly in Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland. In the United States, the Harte surname is widely distributed, including in California, New York, Illinois, Texas, and Florida. Data from the US Census Bureau indicate that Harte is the 767th most common surname in America, with about 28,000 people bearing the name.
It is thought that the origin of the Harte name was as an English and Irish family name. It was derived from the Old Germanic elements ‘hart’ meaning hardy and ‘-e’, which is a diminutive suffix. It is likely that the usefulness and strength of the medieval hart deer were particularly favoured by those bearing the name.
Variations of the surname Harte
The surname Harte has a few variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. The most common is Hart, which is an English patronymic name meaning "son of Hart". This spelling is found in some families in the United States since the late 1800s, which indicates a possible English heritage. The variant Harty/Harty is thought to be an Irish form that also derives from the Middle English name Hart. This variant was often found in English and Scottish families but is now most commonly associated with County Cork in Ireland. The Norman surname de Harcourt also derives from Hart and was first found in France but is also found in England and Ireland. A variant of this form is FitzHarcourt, an Anglo-Norman surname. Another spelling of the same origin is the German Harte, which is a toponymic surname referring to those from the area of Hart in Hersfeld-Rotenburg, Germany. The German variant may also be derived from the Middle High German name Hartig. Other spellings of Harte include Hartt, Hartey, Hartey, Hartie, and Hearty.
Famous people with the name Harte
- John Thomas Harte, Irish historian and writer
- John Francis Harte, Irish priest and composer
- Hannah Hart, American comedian and internet personality
- Mariah Harte, Australian actress
- Bill Harte, American politician
- Jonathan Harte, Elder of the Church of England
- Roger Harte, former footballer
- Oscar Wilde Harte, British actor
- Brent Harte, American author
- Susan Harte, American professional golfer
- Matthew Harte, Canadian Olympic basketball player
- Barr Harte, American surgeon
- James Harte, Irish poet
- Michael Harte, Australian banker
- Patrick Harte, Irish Gaelic footballer
- Norm Harte, Canadian ice hockey player
- Wharton Harte, American author
- Randon Harte, Canadian actor
- Jesse Harte, American painter
- Lillie Harte, British comedian