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Harnel Family History

Harnel 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: Harmel, Hartel, Harney, Harner, Harel, Haenel, Harpel, Harne, Harvel

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Harnel family from?

You can see how Harnel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Harnel family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Harnel families were found in USA in 1880. In 1841 there was 1 Harnel family living in Lanarkshire. This was 100% of all the recorded Harnel's in Scotland. Lanarkshire had the highest population of Harnel families in 1841.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Harnel 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 Harnel ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Bookkeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Harnel. 34% of Harnel men worked as a Laborer and 50% of Harnel women worked as a Bookkeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Harnel were Farm Operator and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Harnel | 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

  • Laborer
    34%
  • Salesman
    23%
  • Farmer
    23%
  • Farm Operator
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Bookkeeper
    50%
  • Housekeeper
    50%

What Harnel family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 944 census records available for the last name Harnel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Harnel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Harnel

Passenger Lists

There are 119 immigration records available for the last name Harnel. 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 Harnel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 61 military records available for the last name Harnel. For the veterans among your Harnel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Harnel military records

You've only scratched the surface of Harnel family history

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What is the average Harnel lifespan?

Average Harnel life expectancy in 1978 was 29 years. This was lower than the general public life expectancy which was 70.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Harnel

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Harnel 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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