Show ContentsHarrison History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Harrison Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Harrison

What does the name Harrison mean?

The origins of the name Harrison are with the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from the personal name Henry. The personal name Henry arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066, when William the Conqueror won the Battle of Hastings, killing King Harold, the last Saxon King of England. It is of Germanic origin, and arrived with the wave of immigration that followed King William into England from continental Europe. The surname Harrison is derived from a diminutive form of the name, Harry. The name means "the son of Henry."

One source has an interesting note: "This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Harry,' this being the English attempt at pronouncing the French Henri. Thus Harry is not a nickname, of Henry, but the English representative form. Hence our endless Harrisons, not Henrysons." 1

Early Origins of the Harrison family

The surname Harrison was first found in Lancashire 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 Harrison family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Harrison research. Another 124 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1579, 1583, 1590, 1606, 1621, 1640, 1655, 1656, 1660, 1669, 1685, 1713, 1797 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Harrison History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Harrison Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Harrison has been spelled many different ways, including Harrison, Harryson, Harieson and others.

Early Notables of the Harrison family

  • Sir John Harrison (c. 1590-1669), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1640 and 1669, supporter of the Royalist side in the English Civil War
  • John Harrison (1579-1656), a prominent inhabitant of Leeds in Yorkshire, England, in the 16th and 17th century, variously as one of the early woollen cloth merchants, and as a benefactor of the town
  • Sir Richard Harrison (1583-1655), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1621 and 1640, supported the Royalist side in the English Civil War
  • Major-General Thomas Harrison (1606-1660), an English soldier who sided with Parliament in the English Civil War, found guilty of regicide
  • William Harrison (1685-1713), an English poet and diplomat

Harrison World Ranking

the United States, the name Harrison is the 115th most popular surname with an estimated 189,012 people with that name. 2 However, in Canada, the name Harrison is ranked the 154th most popular surname with an estimated 22,265 people with that name. 3 And in Australia, the name Harrison is the 74th popular surname with an estimated 31,663 people with that name. 4 New Zealand ranks Harrison as 87th with 4,323 people. 5 The United Kingdom ranks Harrison as 37th with 93,284 people. 6

Migration of the Harrison family to Ireland

Some of the Harrison family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 80 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Harrison migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Harrisons to arrive in North America:

Harrison Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Harmon Harrison, who arrived in Jamestown, Va in 1607 8
  • Rafe Harrison, who settled in Virginia in 1623
  • Ann Harrison, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 8
  • George Harrison, who arrived in Virginia in 1624 8
  • Benjamin Harrison, who arrived in Virginia in 1631 8
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Harrison Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Coll Harrison, who landed in Virginia in 1700 8
  • Anne Harrison, who arrived in New England in 1718 8
  • Andrew Harrison, who landed in Virginia in 1719 8
  • Ellinor Harrison, who landed in Virginia in 1719 8
  • Elir Harrison, who landed in Carolina in 1724 8
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Harrison Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • George Harrison, who landed in New York, NY in 1832 8
  • David Harrison, who landed in New York in 1833 8
  • Henry George Harrison, who arrived in New York in 1835 8
  • Miss Abigail Harrison, aged 13, British settler who arrived in New Orleans aboard the ship "Sheffield" on 7th February 1841
  • Mr. David Harrison, aged 40, British spinner who arrived in New Orleans aboard the ship "Sheffield" on 7th February 1841
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Harrison Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mr. William Harrison, (b. 1875), aged 30, Cornish miner from Liskeard, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Philadelphia" arriving at Ellis Island, New York in 1905 en route to Butte, Montana, USA 9
  • James Herbert Harrison, who arrived in Alabama in 1925 8

Harrison migration to Canada +

Harrison Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Francis Harrison, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
  • Eleanor Harrison, aged 48, who arrived in Fort Cumberland, Nova Scotia in 1774
  • Mr. William Harrison U.E. who settled in Belle Vue, Beaver Harbour, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1783 10
  • Capt. Charles Harrison U.E. who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 he served in the New Jersey Volunteers 2nd Battalion 10
  • Mr. Christopher Harrison U.E. born in England from Hunterdon County, New Jersey, USA who settled in Annapolis County, Nova Scotia c. 1784 arriving in American Colonies in 1773 he enlisted in 1776 serving as Conductor of Stores and Wagon Master in the Quarter Master General's Department he died in 1814 in York Mills, Ontario, married to Priscilla Peddle they had 8 children 10
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Harrison Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Mary Harrison, aged 28, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Salus" in 1833
  • Mary Harrison, aged 21, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Breeze" from Dublin, Ireland
  • Michael Harrison, aged 24, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Charlotte" from Cork, Ireland
  • Ms. Rebecca Harrison, aged 20 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Bridgetown" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle on August 31st, 1847 11
  • Mr. Daniel Harrison, aged 1 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Urania" departing 9th April 1847 from Cork, Ireland; the ship arrived on 10th June 1847 but he died on board 12
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Harrison migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the Second Fleet and Third Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Second Fleet
  • Miss Mary Harrison, (1774 - 1810), aged 16, British settler convicted in Middlesex, England in 1790, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Mary Ann" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 7
  • Mr. William Harrison, (d. 1792), British settler convicted in Lincolnshire, England in 1790, sentenced to Life for breaking and entry, transported aboard the ship "Britannia" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 8
  • Mr. Richard Harrison, British settler convicted in Kent, England in 1790, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "William and Ann" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 8
  • Mr. Thomas Harrison, British settler convicted in Yorkshire, England in 1789, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "HMS Gorgon" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 8
  • Mr. John Harrison, British settler convicted in London, England in 1789, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Active" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 8
Third Fleet
  • Mr. Joseph Harrison, (b. 1760), aged 27, English settler convicted in London on 14th January 1784, sentenced for 7 years for theft, transported aboard the ship "Scarborough" leaving in 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1788 8
  • Miss Mary Harrison, (b. 1760), aged 27, English settler convicted in Lincoln, Lincolnshire on 6th March 1784, sentenced for 7 years for theft, transported aboard the ship "Lady Penrhyn" leaving in 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1788 8
  • Miss Mary Harrison, (b. 1753), aged 34, English settler convicted in London on 19th October 1785, sentenced for 7 years for stealing clothing, transported aboard the ship "Lady Penrhyn" leaving in 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1788 8
Following the Second and Third Fleets, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

Harrison Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
Harrison Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Harrison migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Harrison Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Henry Harrison, Australian settler travelling from Hobart, Tasmania, Australia aboard the ship "Brazil Packet" arriving in New Zealand in 1833 18
  • Mr. H. Harrison, Cornish settler travelling from Launceston, UK aboard the ship "Brazil Packet" arriving in Hokianga, North Island, New Zealand in 1836 18
  • Henry Shafto Harrison, aged 29, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bolton" in 1840
  • Henrietta Harrison, aged 29, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bolton" in 1840
  • Louisa Adelaide Harrison, aged 7, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bolton" in 1840
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Harrison migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 19
Harrison Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Mr. John Harrison, (b. 1589), aged 45, British settler travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "Hopewell" arriving in Barbados on 17th February 1634 8

Contemporary Notables of the name Harrison (post 1700) +

  • George Harrison MBE (1943-2001), English musician, singer, and songwriter, member of the Beatles 1962-1970
  • President Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901), American politician, the 23rd President of the United States
  • Fairfax Harrison (1869-1938), American lawyer and businessman who became a lawyer for the Southern Railway Company in 1896, and by 1906 he was the company's vice-president of finance, President of Southern in 1913
  • Robert "Bob" Harrison (1941-2022), American football player and coach who played college football at Kent State and later served as a coach for Kent State, Iowa, Cornell, NC State, Tennessee, the Atlanta Falcons, the Washington Commandos, Georgia, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Boston College
  • Adlene Harrison (1923-2022), American politician who served on the Dallas City Council from 1973 to 1977, and was acting mayor of Dallas in 1976
  • Mary Dimmick Harrison (1858-1948), American second wife of the 23rd United States president Benjamin Harrison
  • Nicholas Arthur "Nick" Harrison (1982-2019), American stock car racing crew chief
  • Martez Harrison (b. 1993), American basketball player for the Glasgow Rocks of the British Basketball League
  • Charles "Chuck" Harrison (1931-2018), American industrial designer, the first African-American executive to work at Sears, Roebuck and Company
  • ... (Another 44 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Air New Zealand Flight 901
  • Miss Muriel Florence Rose Harrison (1901-1979), New Zealander passenger, from Campbells Bay, Auckland, New Zealand aboard the Air New Zealand Flight 901 for an Antarctic sightseeing flight when it flew into Mount Erebus; she died in the crash 20
  • Miss Annie Harrison (1929-1979), New Zealander passenger, from Takapuna, Auckland, New Zealand aboard the Air New Zealand Flight 901 for an Antarctic sightseeing flight when it flew into Mount Erebus; she died in the crash 21
  • Mr. Frank Harrison, British Bedroom Steward from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 21
  • Mr. Francis Harrison (d. 1914), British Grill Cook from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 22
  • Mr. Hugh Harrison (d. 1914), Irish Third Class Passenger from Belfast, Ireland who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 22
  • ... (Another 29 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Harrison 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: Vincit qui patitur
Motto Translation: He conquers who endures.

Suggested Readings for the name Harrison +

  • The Venturers: The Hampton, Harrison, and Earle Families of Virginia, South Carolina, and Texas by Virginia G. Meynard.
  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  3. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  4. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  5. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  6. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  7. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
  8. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  9. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
  10. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  11. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 32)
  12. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 79)
  13. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barwell
  14. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/calcutta
  15. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th October 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au
  16. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 8th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-spencer
  17. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 1st March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
  18. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  19. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  20. Mount Erebus, Memorial, Roll of Remembrance (Retrieved 2018, February 21st). Retrieved from http://www.erebus.co.nz/memorialandawards/rollofremembrance.aspx
  21. Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
  22. Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 16) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html

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