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Harter Family History

Harter Name 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


Similar surnames: Harder, Horter, Halter, Hartter, Hurter, Karter, Hartner, Harten

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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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 1840 there were 58 Harter families living in Ohio. This was about 33% of all the recorded Harter's in USA. Ohio had the highest population of Harter families in 1840.
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.

What did your Harter ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Harter. 17% of Harter men worked as a Farmer and 9% of Harter women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Harter were Truck Driver and Clerk. .

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 1940

  • Farmer
    17%
  • Laborer
    13%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Truck Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    9%
  • Housewife
    9%
  • Waitress
    6%
  • Clerk
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

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 US 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 USA, 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

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