Harlan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancient roots of the Harlan family name are in the Anglo-Saxon culture. The name Harlan comes from when the family lived in the village of Horlands, that can be traced to numerous places round England, including Harland Edge in Derbyshire and Harland Wood in Sussex. This surname was originally derived from the Old English words har and land, which means that the original bearers of the surname lived in the land that was infested with hares.

Early Origins of the Harlan family

The surname Harlan was first found in Middlesex where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Harlan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Harlan research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1208, 1235, 1330, 1384, 1411, 1425, 1459, 1500 and 1664 are included under the topic Early Harlan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Harlan Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Harlan has appeared include Harland, Hoarland, Hoareland, Hoorland, Hooreland, Horland, Horlands, Harlin, Harlind and many more.

Early Notables of the Harlan family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Hugh Herland (1330-1411), a 14th-century medieval English carpenter, the chief carpenter to King Richard II, best known pieces is the hammer-beam roof at Westminster Hall, regarded as one of the greatest carpentry achievements of the time, worked for William of Wykeham at New College, Oxford (c. 1384), commissioned by royalty to work on...
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Harlan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Harlan Ranking

In the United States, the name Harlan is the 3,109^th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Harlan family to Ireland

Some of the Harlan family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Harlan migration to the United States +

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Harlan arrived in North America very early:

Harlan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Patrick Harlan, who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1826
Harlan, aged 36, who immigrated to the United States from Liverpool, in 1893
John William Harlan, aged 73, who settled in America from Liverpool, in 1899

Harlan Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

J. W. Harlan, aged 74, who landed in America from Liverpool, in 1901
John W. Harlan, who immigrated to the United States from Liverpool, in 1901
Margaret Harlan, aged 61, who landed in America from Liverpool, in 1901
A. W. Harlan, aged 51, who settled in America, in 1903
Ann Harlan, aged 26, who landed in America, in 1909
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Harlan (post 1700) +

Josiah Harlan (1799-1871), Prince of Ghor, an American adventurer, best known for travelling to Afghanistan and Punjab; it is thought that he was the inspiration for Kipling's short story The Man Who Would Be King
John Henry Harlan (1925-2017), American television announcer
Kenneth Harlan (1895-1967), American actor, best known for his work on San Francisco (1936), The Corpse Vanishes (1942) and The Toll of the Sea (1922)
Otis Harlan (1865-1940), American actor of silent films and talkies, best known for A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935), The Telegraph Trail (1933) and Ride Him, Cowboy (1932)
Russell B. Harlan (1903-1974), American six-time Academy Award nominated cinematographer, best known for his work on To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), Witness for the Prosecution (1957) and Rio Bravo (1959)
Jeff Harlan (b. 1954), American actor, known for Auto Focus (2002), The Boogens (1981) and Fat Albert (2004)
Byron Berry Harlan (1886-1949), American attorney, prosecutor, jurist and politician, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio (1931-1939)
Jan Harlan (b. 1937), American film producer, known for his work on The Shining (1980), Full Metal Jacket (1987) and Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
Richard Harlan (1796-1843), American naturalist, zoologist, herpetologist, physicist, and paleontologist
James Harlan (1800-1863), American attorney and politician, a U.S. Representative from Kentucky
... (Another 9 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Harlan Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Per juga per fluvius
Motto Translation: Through precipices and torrents.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/