The Harmon surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 74,737 people carried this name — #438 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 3,950 people counted. That is up 3% from 72,414 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Harmon surname

As an English surname, by way of Norman/Anglo-Norman/Middle English/Old French from Proto-West Germanic *hari (“army”) + *mann (“man”), similar to Herman. Also Americanized from German variants such as Harmann, Hermann.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Harmon» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 12 births for the Harmon name in 1890.

Most were registered in Leinster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 500 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. 5 of them were indexed under other spellings of the name. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Wicklow.”

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Leinster 8
Munster 2
Ulster 2

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

185 families named Harmon, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 1,035 people lived in those households, 5.6 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 5 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Maine 39
Vermont 27
Pennsylvania 27
North Carolina 23
Massachusetts 22
Virginia 11
South Carolina 11
Connecticut 10
New York 9
Maryland 6

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 244 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Harmon in American newspapers,
1912–1923.

Newspaper page from Evening Star carrying the name Harmon
Evening Star 1923-02-11
Newspaper page from The Washington Herald carrying the name Harmon
The Washington Herald 1912-03-23
Newspaper page from New-york Tribune carrying the name Harmon
New-york Tribune 1912-06-29

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 460,773 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Harmon in Australian newspapers,
1840s–1990s.

7,394 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Harmon. The most, 1,298, date from the 1910s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Tasmania, at 1.5 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 3,665
Victoria 1,085
Queensland 954
Tasmania 671
South Australia 545
Western Australia 393
ACT (Canberra) 29
Northern Territory 16

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Harmon.

Who carried it

People named Harmon,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Charles Harmon d. 1886 · deacon
  • John Harmon d. 1661
  • Lamont Harmon d. 2012
  • Sarah Harmon 1644–1740
  • Nathaniel Harmon 1653–1712
  • Johnson Harmon 1670–

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Harmon,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States4,512 records

4,512 records of the Harmon name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 2,536
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 917
  • Other U.S. records 1,059
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Norman Mark Harmon

    Born 1950; from Fullerton, California. U.S. Marine Corps, rifleman; killed in action 1969 in Quang Nam, South Vietnam. Buried at Riverside National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Millard C. Harmon

    Born 1926 in Missouri. Enlisted 1944 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; farm hand. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1997, buried at Floral Hills Memorial Gardens & Fh, Kansas City, Missouri.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Annie Harmon

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the Gallia from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 20; servant. From Louth, Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 4,512 records for Harmon in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia172 records

172 records of the Harmon name in Australia
  • Tasmanian Names Index 76
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 48
  • Other Australian records 48
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record William Harmon

    Died 1927 in Scottsdale, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1927.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Eleanor Harmon

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Thomas Harrison, arriving 1836; ticket of leave 1842.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Catherine Harmon

    Arrived in Victoria in 1853 aboard the Lady McNaghten, aged 25.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 172 records for Harmon in Australia.

Counts: Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada121 records

121 records of the Harmon name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 95
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 8
  • Other Canadian records 18
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Angeline Catherine Harmon

    Buried in 1973 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 86.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record William Harmon

    Died 1954 in Wolfville, Kings, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Joseph Harmon

    Died in service in 1916.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 121 records for Harmon in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

New Zealand6 records

6 records of the Harmon name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 5
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Frederick Highton Harmon

    Died 1953, aged 56; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Stanley Maurice Harmon

    Died 1995, aged 64; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record J. Harmon

    Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 6 records for Harmon in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

United Kingdom2 records

2 records of the Harmon name in the United Kingdom War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record P. J. Harmon

    Lance Corporal, Royal Irish Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record B. W. Harmon

    Lieutenant. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Netherlands2 records

2 records of the Harmon name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 1
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 1
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Franciscus Harmon

    In the population register of Vlissingen; born 1792 in Moerbeek.

    Open Archives, Zeeuws Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Joris Harmon

    Baptised in 1736 in Utrecht.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

France1 record

1 record of the Harmon name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Renee Anna Harmon

    Born 1911 in Lyon (Rhône); died 1996 in Montélimar (Drôme).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Harmon.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Harmon is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Harmon volume
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