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Harp Family History

Harp Name Meaning

English: habitational name from any of several minor places called Harp for example South Harp in South Petherton (Somerset) or Harp House in Eastwood (Essex) named with Middle English harp ‘harp place where the harp was played feature shaped like a harp’. In some cases the name might also be habitational referring to a house bearing the sign of a harp. English: occupational name for a harpist or perhaps someone who made harps. The Middle English word harp(e) denoted the musical instrument but also a harp-shaped implement for sifting and cleansing salt. Compare Harper . German: metonymic occupational name for a harpist from Middle High German harpfe ‘harp’. German: variant of Harpe .

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


Similar surnames: Hard, Hart, Happ, Carp, Karp, Hare, Harm, Haro, Harb, Hall

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Where is the Harp family from?

You can see how Harp families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Harp family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Harp families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 106 Harp families living in Ontario. This was about 77% of all the recorded Harp's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Harp families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Harp 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 Harp ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Harp. 40% of Harp men worked as a Farmer and 60% of Harp women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Harp were Grocer and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Harp | 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
    40%
  • Labourer
    35%
  • Laborer
    15%
  • Grocer
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Stenographer
    60%
  • Housekeeper
    40%
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What Harp family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 60,000 census records available for the last name Harp. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Harp census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Harp

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Harp. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 12,000 military records available for the last name Harp. For the veterans among your Harp ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Harp military records

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What is the average Harp lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Harp life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Harp in 1948 was 35, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Harp

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