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Harnest Family History

Harnest Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Harness, Harnett, Earnest, Hargest, Barnes, Harkness, Ernest, Haynes

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Harnest family from?

You can see how Harnest families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Harnest family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Harnest families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there was 1 Harnest family living in Hampshire. This was 100% of all the recorded Harnest's in United Kingdom. Hampshire had the highest population of Harnest families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Harnest surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Harnest ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Nurse were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Harnest. 28% of Harnest men worked as a Farmer and 50% of Harnest women worked as a Nurse. Some less common occupations for Americans named Harnest were Painter and Maid.

View Census Data for Harnest | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    28%
  • Truck Driver
    19%
  • Farm Hand
    19%
  • Painter
    19%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Nurse
    50%
  • Maid
    50%

What Harnest family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 477 census records available for the last name Harnest. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Harnest census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Harnest

Passenger Lists

There are 33 immigration records available for the last name Harnest. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Harnest immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 131 military records available for the last name Harnest. For the veterans among your Harnest ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Harnest military records

You've only scratched the surface of Harnest family history

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What is the average Harnest lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2003, in the United States, Harnest life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1976, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Harnest in 1962 was 91, and 74 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Harnest

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Harnest ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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