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Harter Family History

Harter Surname Meaning

German (also Härter): variant of Harder. South German and Tyrolean: habitational name for someone from Hart in Austria.

English (Lancashire and Cheshire): nickname from Middle English herter ‘one who encourages, consoles or inspires’ (from herten ‘to encourage, etc.’).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Harter family from?

You can see how Harter families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Harter family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Harter families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 94 Harter families living in Lancashire. This was about 25% of all the recorded Harter's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Harter families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Harter 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 Harter ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Wharf Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Harter. 50% of Harter men worked as a Wharf Labourer and 82% of Harter women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Harter were General Labourer and Shorthand Typist.

View Census Data for Harter | 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.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Wharf Labourer
    50%
  • General Labourer
    50%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    82%
  • Private Means
    8%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Shorthand Typist
    3%

What Harter family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 61,000 census records available for the last name Harter. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Harter census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Harter

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Harter. 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 Harter immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 13,000 military records available for the last name Harter. For the veterans among your Harter ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Harter military records

You've only scratched the surface of Harter family history

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What is the average Harter lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Harter life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Harter in 1948 was 44, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Harter

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Harter 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Harter family tree

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