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Harkness Family History

Harkness Name Meaning

Scottish (Dumfriesshire and Lanarkshire): apparently a habitational name from an unidentified place (perhaps in the area of Annandale Dumfriesshire with which the surname is connected in early records). The surname is also established in northern Ireland where it was taken in the 17th century by settlers from Dumfriesshire.

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


Similar surnames: Harness, Garness, Barsness, Barnes, Harker, Holness, Haynes, Harke

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Where is the Harkness family from?

You can see how Harkness families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Harkness family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Harkness families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 237 Harkness families living in Ontario. This was about 63% of all the recorded Harkness's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Harkness families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Harkness 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 Harkness ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Harkness. 46% of Harkness men worked as a Farmer and 16% of Harkness women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Harkness were Labourer and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Harkness | 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 1921

  • Farmer
    46%
  • Laborer
    10%
  • Farmers Son
    7%
  • Labourer
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housekeeper
    16%
  • Stenographer
    16%
  • School Teacher
    10%
  • Housewife
    10%
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What Harkness family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 62,000 census records available for the last name Harkness. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Harkness census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Harkness

Passenger Lists

There are 9,000 immigration records available for the last name Harkness. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Harkness immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 8,000 military records available for the last name Harkness. For the veterans among your Harkness ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Harkness lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Harkness life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Harkness in 1941 was 43, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Harkness

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