The Harp surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 13,646 people carried this name — #2,638 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 21,600 people counted. That is up 3% from 13,295 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Harp surname

A surname originating as an occupation for a player of the harp.

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

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘at the Harp’.

An early record he cites: Florencia atte Harpe, Somerset, 1327–28 (1 Edward III) — Kirby's Quest (Somerset).

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 361 · public domain.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

25 families named Harp, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 108 people lived in those households, 4.3 to a family on average. The table counts it together with one other spelling. 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 10
New York 6
Maryland 6
Pennsylvania 1
Virginia 1
South Carolina 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

Harp in American newspapers,
1915–1930.

Newspaper page from Montgomery County Sentinel carrying the name Harp
Montgomery County Sentinel 1921-04-08
Newspaper page from The Courier-index carrying the name Harp
The Courier-index 1930-01-16
Newspaper page from Baraboo Weekly News carrying the name Harp
Baraboo Weekly News 1915-10-07

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 22,445 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Harp in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1980s.

5,311 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Harp. The most, 652, date from the 1910s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in New South Wales, at 1.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 2,179
Victoria 1,493
Queensland 812
Western Australia 315
South Australia 264
Tasmania 204
ACT (Canberra) 20
Northern Territory 10

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

Who carried it

People named Harp,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Paul W. Harp 1890– · politician
  • Elmer Harp Jr. (1913-2009) 1913–2009 · professor
  • Dick Harp 1918–2000 · head coach

Wikidata (CC0) · 9 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Harp,
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 States797 records

797 records of the Harp name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 450
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 175
  • Other U.S. records 172
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Michael Lee Harp

    Born 1950; from Pasadena, Maryland. U.S. Marine Corps, rifleman; killed in action 1969 in Quang Nam, South Vietnam. Buried at Baltimore National Cemetery, Maryland.

    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 Robert J. Harp

    Born 1915 in California. Enlisted 1941 at San Francisco; farm hand from Merced County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1995, buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery, California.

    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 Catharina Harp

    Arrived at New York in 1848 aboard the Louvre from Antwerp, aged 30; farmer. From Prussia, Germany.

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

Showing 3 of 797 records for Harp in the United States.

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

Netherlands249 records

249 records of the Harp name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 124
  • Dutch population registers 81
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 44
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Arnoldina Harp

    Married in 1828 in Apeldoorn; maidservant. Died 1880 in Apeldoorn, aged 73.

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

    Married in 1851 in Zijpe. Died 1919 in Alkmaar, aged 88.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Johanna Guurtruida Harp

    Born 1903 in Veenendaal. Died 1904 in Veenendaal.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 249 records for Harp 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); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Australia45 records

45 records of the Harp name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 20
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 17
  • Tasmanian Names Index 8
  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 George Harp

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Earl Grey, sailing from Plymouth in 1842. Native of Crewkerne, Somerset.

    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 Archd Harp

    Arrived in Victoria in 1853 aboard the Malabar, aged 20; Scottish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Matilda Harp

    Arrived in Queensland in 1883 aboard the Merkara, aged 27.

    Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 45 records for Harp in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0). 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).

Germany29 records

29 records of the Harp name in Germany
  • Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919 24
  • German emigration and citizenship files 5
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list August Karl Harp

    Born 1880; from Melzow, Angermünde. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 28 November 1918 (Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 48).

    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 Sophie Harp

    Emigrated to Quebec, Canada in 1858.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Brandenburgisches Landeshauptarchiv (CC0)
  3. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Johanna Sophie Harp

    Emigrated to the United States in 1858.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Brandenburgisches Landeshauptarchiv (CC0)

Showing 3 of 29 records for Harp 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).

Canada6 records

6 records of the Harp name in Canada
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 2
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 1
  • Other Canadian records 3
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record John Albert Harp

    Died 1988; buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.
  2. 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 Carter Woodruff Harp

    Died in service in 1942.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Magdeline Harp

    Married 1798 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

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

Showing 3 of 6 records for Harp in Canada.

Counts: Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

United Kingdom3 records

3 records of the Harp name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 2
  • Stirling Council burial records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Janet Harp

    Buried in 1965 at Ballengeich Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 75.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record A. Harp

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

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

    Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). 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) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

France1 record

1 record of the Harp 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 Yvonne Marie Harp

    Born 1913 in Le Havre; died 1993 in Le Havre (Seine-Maritime).

    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 Harp.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Harp 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.

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