Harding Family History

English: from the Middle English personal name Harding (Old English Hearding literally ‘the hard one’ a derivative of Old English heard ‘hard harsh strong firm brave’). The surname was first taken to Ireland in the 15th century and more families of the name settled there 200 years later in Tipperary and surrounding counties.

North German and Dutch: patronymic from a short form of any of various ancient Germanic compound personal names beginning with hard ‘hardy brave strong’ or a habitational name from a farm named Harding of the same etymology.