The Harms surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 14,377 people carried this name — #2,518 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 20,500 people counted. That is up 7% from 13,468 in 2000.

Look up another surname

Share

In Switzerland’s population statistics

99 people named Harms live in Switzerland.

They live in 10 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.

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

Where they live today

Zurich 29
Bern 15
Schwyz 14
St. Gallen 10
Zug 6
Solothurn 6
Basel-Stadt 6
Thurgau 5

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 56 people named Harms live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.

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

Where they live today

Buenos Aires Province 29
Misiones 14
Santiago del Estero 13

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In the Nordic population registers

67 people named Harms are counted in Sweden and Finland.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 47
Finland (2026) 20

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.

In print

Harms in American newspapers,
1891–1916.

Newspaper page from The Bowbells Tribune carrying the name Harms
The Bowbells Tribune 1915-07-30
Newspaper page from The Morning News carrying the name Harms
The Morning News 1891-07-20
Newspaper page from The Port Gibson Reveille carrying the name Harms
The Port Gibson Reveille 1916-06-29

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 4,488 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Harms in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1990s.

4,279 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Harms. The most, 733, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Queensland, at 1.5 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 1,230
New South Wales 1,066
Victoria 867
South Australia 569
Western Australia 444
Tasmania 84
ACT (Canberra) 12
Northern Territory 1

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

Who carried it

People named Harms,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Claus Harms
    Claus Harms 1778–1855 · pastor
  • Louis Harms
    Louis Harms 1808–1865 · teacher
  • Georg Friedrich Harms
    Georg Friedrich Harms 1811–1892 · politician
  • Klaus-Dieter Harms d. 2001
  • August Heinrich Ludwig Harms d. 1839
  • Maria Harms d. 1593

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Harms,
in the records of 9 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 States2,912 records

2,912 records of the Harms name in the United States
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 1,535
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 570
  • Other U.S. records 807
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Harold W. Harms

    Born 1911 in New York. Enlisted 1942 at Camp Upton Yaphank; boilermaker from Kings County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1982, buried at Calverton National Cemetery, New York.

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

    Arrived at New York in 1904 aboard the Friedrich der Grosse from Bremen, aged 24; servant. From Ritterhude, Germany; bound for Brooklyn.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Frederick William Harms

    Born 1948; from Peoria, Illinois. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1970 in Cambodia.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 2,912 records for Harms in the United States.

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

Netherlands22,151 records

22,151 records of the Harms name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 10,511
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 8,481
  • Dutch population registers 3,159
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Albertje Harms

    Married in 1816 in Roden; maidservant, born 1785 in Loon (Assen). Died 1847 in Roden, aged 62.

    Open Archives, Drents Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Evert Harms

    Married in 1846 in Finsterwolde; day labourer. Died 1888 in Oude Pekela, aged 65; labourer.

    Open Archives, Groninger Archieven (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Harmina Harms

    Married in 1839 in Kampen; domestic servant, born 1811 in Hattem. Died 1870 in Kampen, aged 58.

    Open Archives, Collectie Overijssel locatie Zwolle (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 22,151 records for Harms in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Germany1,785 records

1,785 records of the Harms name in Germany
  • Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919 1,782
  • German emigration and citizenship files 3
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Hermann Harms

    Born 1892; from Nordenhamm. Reported taken prisoner in the Prussian casualty list of 5 December 1918 (Infantry Regiment No. 376).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Maria Harms

    Emigrated to Austria in 1905.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Brandenburgisches Landeshauptarchiv (CC0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Johann Heinrich Friedrich Harms

    Naturalised in 1899.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg (CC0)

Showing 3 of 1,785 records for Harms in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0) · Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0); Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Australia132 records

132 records of the Harms name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 75
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 30
  • Other Australian records 27
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Harry Harms

    Arrived in Victoria in 1886 aboard the Arabic, aged 20; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Sidney Rupert Harms

    Drover of Myrtleford, Victoria; died 1961.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Ellen Harms

    Of Paddington, New South Wales; died 1902.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)

Showing 3 of 132 records for Harms in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Canada19 records

19 records of the Harms name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 7
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 7
  • Other Canadian records 5
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Peter Harms

    Died 1993, aged 76; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Katharina Harms

    Died 1972; buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Jessie Harms

    Died 1929 in Digby, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 19 records for Harms 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. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. 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).

Norway9 records

9 records of the Harms name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Christine Harms

    Census of 1910: Sydnesgate, Bergen; washerwoman, born 1843 in Sogndal.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Henrik Harms

    Census of 1910: Blekebakken, Bergen; born 1878 in Bergen.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)

Showing 2 of 9 records for Harms in Norway.

Counts: Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

United Kingdom3 records

3 records of the Harms 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 F. Harms

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

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

Showing 1 of 3 records for Harms in the United Kingdom.

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).

New Zealand2 records

2 records of the Harms name in New Zealand Marlborough District cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Catherine Harms

    Died 1896, aged 56; buried at Picton Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 1 of 2 records for Harms in New Zealand.

Counts: Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France2 records

2 records of the Harms 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 Othon Eugene Paul Harms

    Born 1927 in Metz; died 1983 in Metz (Moselle).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 1 of 2 records for Harms in France.

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 Harms.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Harms 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 Harms volume
Scroll to Top