Harris Surname

Meaning and origin of the surname Harris

Patronymic surname meaning 'son of Harry', Harry being the standard medieval English spoken vernacular form of Henry (from Germanic Heinrich, 'home ruler').

Historically and linguistically, Harris belongs to the English and Welsh family of surnames. It is conventionally pronounced "HAIR-iss".

United States Census frequency and ranking

In the official 2010 United States Census, Harris was recorded 624,252 times, ranking as the 25th most common surname in the nation.

This represents an incidence rate of approximately 211.63 bearers per 100,000 Americans, or roughly 1 out of every 473 residents.

Race and ethnicity distribution

According to official decennial Census genealogy microdata, individuals bearing the surname Harrisreported the following racial and ethnic affiliations in the 2010 US Census:

Source: US Census Bureau, 2010 Census Surnames Data. Percentages may not sum to exactly 100% due to independent rounding or suppression of small cell counts for privacy protection.

History of the surname Harris

In medieval England, the royal Germanic name Henry (introduced by the Normans in 1066) was universally pronounced and spelled in everyday spoken vernacular as Harry or Herry. The genitive suffix -s was affixed to denote 'Harry's son' or 'of the household of Harry', producing Harris alongside the northern variant Harrison.

In Wales, following the sixteenth-century Acts of Union, traditional Welsh patronymic naming (ap Harry, 'son of Harry') was systematically condensed by judicial courts into the Anglicized surnames Parry and Harris. The surname became especially widespread throughout Monmouthshire, Glamorgan, and the West Midlands border counties of England.

Harris arrived early in colonial Virginia and Massachusetts, establishing deep roots across the American South. Borne by prominent statesmen, abolitionists, and modern leaders, Harris ranked 25th in the 2010 United States Census with 624,252 recorded bearers (211.63 per 100,000 Americans), reflecting significant multi-ethnic representation across White and Black demographic communities.

Notable people with the surname Harris

• Kamala Harris (1964–), 49th Vice President of the United States
• Neil Patrick Harris (1973–), American actor, singer, and television host
• Ed Harris (1950–), American actor, director, and four-time Academy Award nominee
• Emmylou Harris (1947–), American country and Americana singer-songwriter, 14-time Grammy winner