Harper (name)
| Pronunciation | /ˈhɑːrpər/ |
|---|---|
| Origin | |
| Meaning | harper |
Harper is a surname that is also commonly used as a given name in the United States.
In some cases, the surname originated from an occupational name, and is derived from the Middle English harper, harpere ("harper"). In other cases, the surname is derived from the Norman le Harpur. The surname can also be derived from the Gaelic Mac Chruiteir ("son of the harper").[1]
Harper is also the Anglicization of the German family name Härpfer, deriving from playing the musical instrument harp.
People with the surname
- Alan Harper (bishop) (born 1944), English Anglican bishop
- Alan Harper (footballer) (born 1960), English footballer (Association football)
- Alan Harper (American football) (born 1979), American football player
- Alec Harper (1910–2003), British soldier and polo player
- Alexander Harper (disambiguation), several people
- Alvin Harper (born 1968), American footballer (American football)
- Andrew Harper (1844–1936), Scottish-Australian biblical scholar and teacher
- Andrew Harper, pseudonym of Douglas Clegg (born 1958), Australian fantasy author
- Andy Harper (born 1967), Australian footballer (Association football)
- Anna McCune Harper (1902–1999), American tennis player
- Arthur Cyprian Harper (1866–1948), American politician
- Bambi Harper, Filipino writer and socialite
- Ben Harper (politician) (1817–1887), American politician
- Ben Harper (born 1969), American musician
- Ben Eric Harper (born 1980), American musician
- Bert Harper (1923–1992), Australian footballer (Australian rules football)
- Beverley Harper (1943–2002), Australian author of novels set in Africa
- Bill Harper (baseball) (1889–1951), American baseball player
- Bill Harper (footballer, born 1897) (1897–1989), Scottish footballer (Association football)
- Bill Harper (footballer, born 1900), Scottish footballer (Association football)
- Billy Harper (born 1943), American jazz saxophonist
- Bob Harper (born 1965), American personal trainer
- Bobby Harper (1920–1980), Scottish footballer (Association football)
- Brandon Harper (born 1976), American baseball player
- Brett Harper (born 1981), American baseball player
- Brian Harper (born 1959), American baseball player
- Bruce Harper (born 1955), American footballer (American football)
- Bryan Harper (born 1927), Australian canoer
- Bryce Harper (born 1992), American baseball player
- Chandler Harper (1914–2004), American golfer
- Charles Harper (politician) (1842–1912), Australian politician, pastoralist and newspaper proprietor
- Charles Harper (mayor) (c. 1875–1954), Australian politician and businessman
- Charles Harper (colonial administrator) (1876–1950), English rugby player, soldier, civil servant and politician
- Charles George Harper (1863–1943), English writer and illustrator
- Charles Harper Webb, American poet
- Charley Harper (1922–2007), American artist and illustrator
- Charlie Harper (singer) (born 1944), British punk singer
- Charlie Harper (American football) (born 1944), American footballer (American football)
- Chris Harper (disambiguation), several people
- Clifford Harper (born 1949), English anarchist and cartoonist
- C. Michael Harper (1927–2016), American businessman
- Colin Harper (footballer) (1946–2018), English footballer and football manager (Association football)
- Colin Harper (born 1968), Irish music journalist
- Cullen Harper (born 1985), American footballer (American football)
- Daniel Harper (headmaster) (1821–1895), British university principal
- Daryl Harper (born 1951), Australian Test cricket umpire
- Dave Harper (American football) (born 1966), American footballer (American football)
- David Harper, pseudonym of Edwin Corley (1931–1981), American novelist
- David Harper (biologist), British biologist
- David W. Harper (born 1961), American actor
- Dawn Harper (born 1984), American athlete
- Dawn Harper (doctor) (born 1963), British doctor and television presenter
- Dennis Harper, American businessman
- Dennis Harper (footballer) (born 1936), English footballer (Association football)
- Dent Harper (1937–1997), New Zealand cricketer
- Derek Harper (born 1961), American basketballer
- Deveron Harper (born 1977), American football player
- D. J. Harper (born 1989), American footballer (American football)
- Don Harper (1921–1999), Australian composer
- Don L. Harper, American composer and conductor
- Douglas Harper (born 1948), American historian, journalist and author
- Dwayne Harper (born 1966), American footballer (American football)
- Ed Harper (born 1931), Canadian politician
- Edith Harper, pseudonym of Anna Wickham (1884–1947), British poet and feminist
- Edward Harper (engineer), British-Sri Lankan engineer
- Edward Eugene Harper (born 1946), American criminal
- Edward John Harper (1910–1990), American bishop
- Elijah Harper (1949–2013), Canadian politician and Aboriginal Cree band chief
- Emily Harper (born 1978), American actress
- Erastus Harper (1854–1927), American politician
- Eric Harper, (1877–1918), New Zealand rugby union player
- Ernie Harper (1902–1979), English athlete
- Ethel Ernestine Harper (1903–1979), American actress and singer
- Fletcher Harper (1806–1877), American publisher
- F. A. Harper (1905–1973), American university professor
- Frances Harper (1825–1911), American abolitionist and poet
- Francis Harper (biologist) (1886–1972), American naturalist
- Francis Jacob Harper (1800–1837), American politician from Pennsylvania
- Frank Harper (born 1962), English actor and producer
- Gavin Harper (born 1986), British technology writer
- George Harper (cricketer, born 1865) (1865–?), English cricketer
- George Harper (cricketer, born 1988), American born English cricketer
- George Harper (pitcher) (1866–1931), American baseball player
- George Harper (outfielder) (1892–1978), American baseball player
- George Montague Harper (1865–1922), British military general
- Gerald Harper (born 1929), English actor
- Gisèle Côté-Harper (born 1942), Canadian law professor and human rights activist
- Goodloe Harper Bell (1832–1899), American teacher and educator
- Graeme Harper (born 1945), English television director
- Graeme Harper (writer), British writer and critic
- Gregg Harper (born 1956), American politician from Mississippi
- Hannah Harper (born 1982), English pornographic actress and director
- Harry Harper (1895-1963), American baseball player
- Heather Harper (1930–2019), Irish operatic soprano
- Henry Harper (disambiguation), several people
- Herbert Harper (1889–1983), English cricketer and umpire
- Herbert Reah Harper (1871-1956), Australian electrical engineer
- Herbie Harper (1920–2012), American jazz trombonist
- Hill Harper (born 1966), American film, television and stage actor
- Ian Harper, Australian economist
- Ida Husted Harper (1851–1931), American author, journalist and suffragette
- Irving Harper (1916–2015), American industrial designer
- Jacey Harper (born 1980), Trinidadian sprinter
- Jack Harper (disambiguation), several people
- James Harper (congressman) (1780–1873), American politician from Pennsylvania
- James Harper (publisher) (1795–1869), American publisher
- James Harper (actor), (born 1948), American actor
- James Harper (footballer) (born 1980), English footballer (Association football)
- James C. Harper (1819–1890), American politician from North Carolina
- James Harper McDonald (1900–1973), American deep sea diver
- James Harper Prowse (1913–1976), Canadian lawyer and politician
- James Harper Starr (1809–1890), American civil servant
- James Harper-Orr (1878–1956), Scottish cricketer and hockey player
- Jamie Harper (born 1989), American footballer (American football)
- J. C. Harper (born 1965), American coach (American football)
- Jared Harper (born 1997), American basketball player
- Jeremy Harper, American Guinness World Record holder
- Jerry Harper (1934–2001), American basketball player
- Jesse Harper (1883–1961), American coach (American football, basketball, and baseball)
- Jessica Harper (born 1949), American actress and producer, singer and author of children's music and books
- Joe Harper (born 1948), Scottish footballer (Association football)
- John Harper (pastor) (1872–1912), British pastor
- John Harper (politician) (1930–2001), American politician from Kentucky
- John Adams Harper (1779–1816), American politician, New Hampshire member of the House of Representatives (1811–1813)
- John Ernest Harper (1874–1949), British Royal Navy Admiral
- John L. Harper (1925–2009), British biologist
- John Joseph Harper (1951–1988), Canadian aboriginal leader
- John Russell Harper (1914–1983), Canadian art historian
- John William Harper (1916–1944), British soldier, recipient of the Victoria Cross
- John Harper Narbeth (1863–1944), British naval architect
- Jon Harper (born 1978), English musician
- Joseph Harper (English politician) (1914–1978), English politician
- Joseph Harper (horse breeder), Australian horse breeder
- Joseph H. Harper (1901–1990), American soldier
- Joseph M. Harper (1787–1865), American politician from New Hampshire
- Josh Harper (born 1991), American football player
- Justin Harper (American football) (born 1985), American footballer (American football)
- Kalenna Harper (born 1982), American singer-songwriter
- Kate M. Harper (born 1956), American regional politician from Pennsylvania
- Keith Harper (disambiguation), several people
- Kellie Harper (born 1977), American basketball player and coach
- Kenn Harper, Canadian historian, linguist and businessman
- Kenneth Harper (1913–1998), British film producer
- Kenton Harper (1801–1867), American printer, soldier, banker, newspaper editor and legislator
- Kevin Harper (born 1976), Scottish footballer (Association football)
- Laura Harper (born 1984), English cricketer
- Laura Harper (basketball) (born 1986), American basketball player
- Laurie Harper (born 1970), Australian cricketer
- Lee Harper (born 1971), English footballer and football manager (Association football)
- Leni Harper (born 1954), British actress
- Louis Harper (1868–1940), British civil engineer
- Louis George Harper (1830–1884), Canadian politician
- Louis J. Harper, American coach (American football)
- Luellyn Harper, American costume designer
- Luke Harper (born 1979), ring name of American professional wrestler Jon Huber
- Lynne Harper (1946–1959), Canadian murder victim
- Madeline Harper, pseudonym of Madeline Porter and Shannon Harper, American romance novel co-writers
- Margaret Hilda Harper (1879–1964), Australian pediatrician, medical writer, and radio commentator
- Mark Harper (American football) (born 1961), American footballer (American football)
- Mark Harper (born 1970), British politician
- Martha Matilda Harper (1857–1950), Canadian-American businesswoman and entrepreneur
- Mary C. Harper (1929–2012), American politician and educator
- Melinda Harper (born 1965), Australian artist
- Michael Harper (priest) (1931–2010), British priest
- Michael S. Harper (1938–2016), American poet
- Mike Harper (born 1966), American motor racing journalist
- Mitch Harper (born 1956), American politician
- Nat Harper (1865–1954), Australian politician
- Nick Harper (born 1965), British singer-songwriter and guitarist
- Nick Harper (born 1974), American Football player
- Norman Harper (born 1957), British journalist
- Pat Harper (1935–1994), American TV news anchorwoman
- Peter Harper (disambiguation), several people
- Phil Harper (1940–2004), American voice actor
- Philip Harper (trumpeter) (born 1965), American jazz trumpeter
- Philip Harper (brewer) (born c. 1966), British master sake brewer
- Ray Harper (born 1961), American basketball coach
- Reg Harper, Canadian politician from Prince Edward Island
- Rinelle Harper (born 1998), Canadian First Nations advocate for victims of violence
- Rob Harper (born 1955), British musician
- Robert Harper (Australian politician) (1842–1919), Australian politician
- Robert Harper (actor) (1951–2020), American actor
- Robert Harper (computer scientist) (born 1957), American computer scientist
- Robert Almer Harper (1862–1946), American botanist
- Robert Goodloe Harper (1765–1825), American politician nfrom Maryland
- Robin Harper (born 1940), Scottish politician
- Rod Harper (born 1985), American footballer (American football)
- Roger Harper (born 1963), Guyanese cricketer
- Roger Harper (American football) (born 1970), American footballer (American football)
- Roland Harper (born 1953), American footballer (American football)
- Roly Harper (1881–1949), English footballer (Association football )
- Roman Harper (born 1982), American footballer (American football)
- Ron Harper (actor) (born 1936), American actor
- Ron Harper (born 1964), American basketballer
- Ron Harper (politician) (born 1948), Canadian regional politician from Saskatchewan
- Rory Harper (born 1950), American science fiction writer
- Roy Harper (born 1941), English singer-songwriter and guitarist
- Roy Winfield Harper (1905–1994), American federal judge
- Ruth Harper (1927–2006), American politician from Pennsylvania
- Sam Harper, American writer, director and producer
- Samuel Hadden Harper (1783–1837), American federal judge
- Sarah Harper, British gerontologist
- Scott Harper (candidate), Democratic candidate for Illinois's 13th congressional district
- Scott Harper (composer) (born 1952), American composer and musician
- Shane Harper (born 1993), American actor, singer and dancer
- Shannon Harper, American co-writer of romance novels
- Shawn Harper (born 1968), American footballer (American football)
- Skinny Bobby Harper (1939–2003), American radio and video DJ
- Stephen Harper (born 1959), former Prime Minister of Canada
- Stephen Harper (designer), English designer
- Steve Harper (born 1975), English footballer (Association football)
- Steve Harper (footballer, born 1969) (born 1969), English footballer (Association football)
- Steven C. Harper (born 1970), American professor of church history and doctrine
- Steven Harper, pseudonym of Steven Piziks, American science fiction author
- Susan Harper (diplomat) (born 1953), Canadian diplomat
- Sylvia Lance Harper (1895–1982), Australian tennis player
- Tanisha Harper (born 1985), Japanese-American model, actress and television host
- Ted Harper (1901–1959), English footballer (Association football)
- Terri Harper (born 1996), British boxer
- Terry Harper (born 1940), Canadian former ice hockey player
- Terry Harper (baseball) (born 1955), American baseball player
- Tess Harper (born 1950), American actress
- Thomas Harper (disambiguation) multiple people, including
- Thomas Morton Harper (1821–1893), English Jesuit priest and theologian
- Tom Harper (American football) (c. 1933-1989), American coach (American football)
- Tom Harper (actor) (born 1977), British actor
- Tom Harper, pseudonym of Edwin Thomas (born 1977), English historical novelist
- Tommy Harper (born 1940), American baseball player
- Toni Harper (born 1937), American singer and actress
- Travis Harper (born 1976), American baseball player
- Valerie Harper (1939–2019), American actress
- Vern Harper (1936–2018), Canadian Aboriginal rights activist
- Wally Harper (c. 1941–2004), American composer, conductor and musical director
- Walt Harper (1926–2006), American jazz pianist
- Walter Harper (1892–1918), Canadian mountaineer
- Warren Harper (c. 1932-1997), American Football coach
- William Claude Harper (born 1944), American jewelry artist
- William Edmund Harper (1878–1940), Canadian astronomer
- William John Harper (1916–2006), British politician and fighter pilot
- William Harper (composer) (born 1949), composer
- William Harper (South Carolina) (1790–1847), American politician from South Carolina
- William Rainey Harper (1856–1906), American university president
- William Harper Pease (1824–1871), American conchologist and malacologist
- William Harper Twelvetrees (1848–1919), English-Australian geologist
- Willie Harper (born 1950), American footballer (American football)
- Winard Harper (born 1962), American jazz drummer
- Winnifred Harper Cooley (1874–1967), American author and lecturer
People with the given name
- Harper Carter (born 1939), American child actor and businessman
- Harper Goff (1911–1993), American artist, musician, and actor
- Harper LeBel (born 1963), American footballer (American football)
- Harper Lee (1926–2016), American novelist
- Harper Simon (born 1972), American singer-songwriter
- Harper Williams (born 1971), American basketball player
Fictional characters with the surname
- Several characters in the American sitcom Mama's Family:
- Several characters in the British sitcom My Family:
- Several characters in the American sitcom Two and a Half Men:
- Ben "Beanie" Harper, character in the television series Love of Life
- Cally Harper Ewing, character in the television series Dallas
- David Harper (General Hospital), character in the television series General Hospital
- Dick Harper, character in the 1977 film Fun with Dick and Jane and the 2005 remake
- Harry Harper (Casualty), character in the television series Casualty
- Holly Harper, character in the television series Brothers & Sisters
- Jack Harper (disambiguation), several characters
- Jane Harper, character in the 1977 film Fun with Dick and Jane and the 2005 remake
- Jess Harper, character from the 1958 NBC Western series Laramie. Played by Robert Fuller.
- Joe Harper, character in the novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
- Johnny Harper, character in the television series The O.C.
- Kate Harper (The West Wing), character on the television show The West Wing
- Molly Harper, character in the film Final Destination 5
- Owen Harper, one of the main protagonists in the television series Torchwood
- Patrick Harper (fiction), character in the television series Sharpe
- Sally Harper, character in the BBC comedy Coupling
- Seamus Zelazny Harper, character in the television series Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda
- Steven Harper (Boston Public), character in the television series Boston Public
- Ty Harper, character in the television series Neighbours
- Rebecca Harper, character in the television series Brothers & Sisters
- Roy Harper (comics), DC Comics character
- Wade Harper, character in two episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger. Played by Robert Fuller.
- Will Harper, character in the television series EastEnders
- William Harper Littlejohn, character in the Doc Savage novels by Lester Dent
Fictional characters with the given name
- Harper Avery, surgeon that the Harper Avery Award is named after and grandfather of Jackson Avery in Grey's Anatomy
- Harper Connelly, title character of The Harper Connelly Mysteries novels by Charlaine Harris
- Harper Dearing, businessman-turned terrorist and main villain in the 10th season of NCIS
- Harper Decker Simmons, character in the film Parental Guidance
- Harper Pitt, character in the Pulitzer Prize winning Angels in America
- Harper Finkle, character in the sitcom Wizards of Waverly Place
- Harper Lee Burgess, supporting character in the sitcom Girl Meets World
- Harper Stanhope, character in Lost
- Harper Whitley, character in the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street
See also
References
- ^ Hanks, P; Coates, R; McClure, P, eds. (2016). The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland. Vol. Vol. 2. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-879882-8.
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