The Harold surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 6,141 people carried this name — #5,651 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 48,100 people counted. That is down 4% from 6,428 in 2000.

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In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 15 births for the Harold name in 1890.

Most were registered in Munster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 700 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The count includes the spelling Harrold.

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

Where they were born, 1890

Munster 11
Leinster 3
Ulster 1

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

In the Nordic population registers

47 people named Harold is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 47

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).

In the first U.S. census, 1790

32 families named Harold, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 184 people lived in those households, 5.8 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 7 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

North Carolina 15
Pennsylvania 8
South Carolina 4
New York 2
New Hampshire 1
Maryland 1
Virginia 1

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

Harold in American newspapers,
1913–1916.

Newspaper page from The Birmingham Age-herald carrying the name Harold
The Birmingham Age-herald 1913-03-19
Newspaper page from Ottumwa Tri-weekly Courier carrying the name Harold
Ottumwa Tri-weekly Courier 1916-07-25
Newspaper page from The Birmingham Age-herald carrying the name Harold
The Birmingham Age-herald 1914-02-26

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 27,049 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Harold in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2010s.

464,373 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Harold. The most, 101,469, date from the 1930s. 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 South Australia, at 1.5 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 145,762
Victoria 89,716
South Australia 76,514
Queensland 69,555
Western Australia 47,663
Tasmania 28,475
ACT (Canberra) 4,498
Northern Territory 835

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

Who carried it

People named Harold,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Edgar von Harold
    Edgar von Harold 1830–1886 · military officer
  • Edgar von Harold
    Edgar von Harold 1830–1886 · military officer
  • Lizzie Harold
    Lizzie Harold 1854–1920 · actor
  • Johnny Danvers
    Johnny Danvers 1861–1939 · actor
  • John Harold
    John Harold 1873–1947 · politician
  • Francis Harold 1700–1685 · historian

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 Harold,
in the records of 8 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 States778 records

778 records of the Harold name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 240
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 185
  • Other U.S. records 353
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Charles D. Harold

    Born 1920 in Kansas. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Riley; stenographer from Lincoln County. U.S. Air Force veteran of World War II; died 1998, buried at Gypsum Hill Cemetery, Salina, Kansas.

    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 Margaret Harold

    Arrived at New York in 1854 aboard the Thornton from Liverpool, aged 21; servant. From Derry, Ireland.

    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 Donald G. Harold

    Born 1931; from Roane County, West Virginia. U.S. Army, light weapons infantryman; killed in action 1952 in North Korea.

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

Showing 3 of 778 records for Harold in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · 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). 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).

Australia268 records

268 records of the Harold name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 146
  • Tasmanian Names Index 43
  • Other Australian records 79
  1. 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 John Harold

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Henrietta in 1843. Native of Braunston, Northamptonshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1846.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Henry Harold

    Arrived in Victoria in 1856 aboard the Athletae, aged 33; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Gray Harold

    Retired builder of Bet Bet, Victoria; died 1990.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 268 records for Harold in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (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: 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); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada38 records

38 records of the Harold name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 20
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 8
  • Other Canadian records 10
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Charlotte May Harold

    Buried in 1970 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 71.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Joseph D. Harold

    Died 1979; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record George L. Harold

    Died 1919 in Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

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

Showing 3 of 38 records for Harold 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. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. 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).

United Kingdom10 records

10 records of the Harold name in the United Kingdom
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 5
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 4
  • Stirling Council burial records 1
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record James Alexander Harold

    Born 1886 at NorthBerwick; house painter. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921). Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918 (Royal Scots).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain); 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 John Harold

    Born 1885 at Edinburgh; house painter. Died 1915. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John J. Harold

    Died 1956, aged 66; buried at Logie Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 10 records for Harold in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. 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); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

New Zealand7 records

7 records of the Harold name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 5
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Emily Maisie Harold

    Died 1964, aged 67; buried at Bromley 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 Douglas Peters Harold

    Buried in 1998 at Tairua Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 76.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Boyle Harold

    Died 1905, aged 36; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Harold in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel 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).

France5 records

5 records of the Harold 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 Antoine Henri Zenobe Harold

    Born 1932 in Lens (Pas-de-Calais); died 1982 in Lille (Nord).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Evelyne Lucy Harold

    Born 1947 in Great Britain; died 2000 in Dechy (Nord).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Raymond Robert Harold

    Born 1902 in Paris; died 1986 in Saint-Germain-en-Laye (Yvelines).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 5 records for Harold 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).

Netherlands3 records

3 records of the Harold name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 2
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Birth record Gerardus Johannes Harold

    Born 1839 in Alkmaar.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Archief Alkmaar (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Catharina Francisca Harold

    In the population register of Vlissingen; born 1859 in Rotterdam.

    Open Archives, Zeeuws Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Harold in the Netherlands.

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

Germany3 records

3 records of the Harold name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Wilhelm Harold

    From Darguttschen, Pillkallen. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 4 October 1915 (Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 3).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Arthur Härold

    From Blankenhain. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 21 June 1915 (Reserve Jäger Battalion No. 24).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Harold in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (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).

Other spellings of this name

The same name, spelled another way.

Spellings that H. B. Guppy (England and Wales, 1890) or the Registrar-General for Ireland (births index of 1890) counted as one name together with Harold.

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Harold.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Harold 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 Harold volume
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