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Harris (surname)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Harris
Pronunciation/ˈhærɪs/.
Origin
Region of originWales
England[1]
Other names
Variant form(s)Harries,[1] Herries, Harrison,[2] Harry,[1] Parry[3]

Harris is a surname predominantly originating in Wales and England.

Etymology

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In Wales, Harris and Harries are common Welsh patronyms, from the personal name Harri.[4] Harris also emerged as a English patronym, as Harry became a hypocorism of the new Middle English name Henry.[1] The Welsh surname may have become popular in Ireland following the Cambro-Norman invasion of Ireland, Harris may also occur as an Anglicization of the Irish name Ó hEarchadha.[1]

British and Irish names may also derive from the Old Norse Harri, Dutch Harries and Flemish Hariche.[2]

Distribution

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United Kingdom

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Harris is most common in South Wales and was the 22nd most common name throughout Wales in 2020.[5] For the latest available census data from 2010, the UK government did not generate a list of surname frequencies.[6]

United States

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For the latest available census data from 2010, Harris ranked as the 25th most common surname in the US with 624,252 entries. Harrison ranked as the 141st most common surname in the US with 181,091 entries.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Hanks, Patrick, ed. (2013). Dictionary of American Family Names. Vol. 2. Oxford University Press. p. 134.
  2. ^ a b Barber, Henry (1894). "Alphabetical list of British Surnames". British Family Names: Their Origin and Meaning, with Lists of Scandinavian, Frisian, Anglo-Saxon and Norman Names. Elliot Stock, London. p. 139. Refer also to country and source abbreviations on page 15
  3. ^ Hanks, Patrick, ed. (2013). Dictionary of American Family Names. Vol. 3. Oxford University Press. p. 53.
  4. ^ Windsor, Kieren. "A (Brief) History of Welsh Surnames". The Wales Guidebook. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  5. ^ Cooper, John (21 March 2020). "The 50 most common Welsh surnames and how many of you have them". Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  6. ^ "Surname usage frequency". Office of National Statistics. 2019.
  7. ^ "Frequently Occurring Surnames from the 2010 Census". U.S. Census Bureau. 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2021. (refer to the provided documents)