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Harter History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Harter History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Anglo-Saxon name Harter comes from the family having resided in Upper Hardres or Lower Hardres, near Canterbury referred to as Hardres. Both parishes dates back to Saxon times where they were collectively known as Haredum in 785. 1 By the Domesday Book of 1086, the parishes were known as Hardes. 2 The place names literally mean "place at the woods," from the Old English "harad." 1

Early Origins of the Harter family

The surname Harter was first found in Kent, where family members were Lords of the manor Lyminge. The earliest recorded ancestor is Robert de Hardres, who lived during the reigns of Edward the Confessor and William the Conqueror. He held his lands from the Archbishop of Canterbury, which consisted of a church, a mill, and a fishery of forty eels, as recorded in the Domesday Book. 2

"There are two parishes in that county so called, and Hardres Court was the family seat down to the extinction of the baronetcy in 1764. The family derived from Ardres in Picardy and conferred their name upon the Kentish localities-a circumstance of rare but not of unique occurrence. "3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had two listings for the family, both in Kent: Gunnora de Hardres; and Robert de Hardres. 4

Early History of the Harter family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Harter research. Another 195 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1606, 1610, 1635, 1642, 1660, 1664, 1669, 1673, 1676, 1679, 1681, 1686, 1688, 1718, 1736 and 1764 are included under the topic Early Harter History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Harter Spelling Variations

Harter has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Spelling variants included: Hardress, Hardres, Hardresse, Hardrese, Harders and many more.

Early Notables of the Harter family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir Richard Hadres of Kent, Baronet, who was buried in London in 1676; and Sir Thomas Hardres (1610-1681), an English barrister and politician, Member of Parliament for Canterbury, Kent (1664), King's Serjeant (1679). He was...
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Harter Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Harter Ranking

In the United States, the name Harter is the 3,572^nd most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 5 However, in France, the name Harter is ranked the 7,323^rd most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 6

Harter migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Harters to arrive on North American shores:

Harter Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johan Michael Harter, who landed in New York, NY in 1710 7
Andreas Harter, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1742 7
Nicklas Harter, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1753 7
Henry Harter, who landed in New Jersey in 1755 7

Harter Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Martha Harter, who arrived in Texas in 1844 7
Mr. Joh. Harter, aged 22, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1845 aboard the ship "Joh. Derhardt"
Mrs. Catharina Harter, aged 42, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1845 aboard the ship "Joh. Derhardt"
Miss Catharina Harter, aged 11, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1845 aboard the ship "Joh. Derhardt"
Mr. Martin Harter, aged 8, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1845 aboard the ship "Joh. Derhardt"
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Harter 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:

Harter Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Nicholas Harter, aged 34, a farmer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Salisbury" in 1876
Emma Harter, aged 35, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Salisbury" in 1876
John Harter, aged 9, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Salisbury" in 1876
Ellen Harter, aged 5, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Salisbury" in 1876
Emma Harter, aged 4, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Salisbury" in 1876
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Harter (post 1700) +

Carol Clancey Harter (1941-2023), American academic administrator who was the 7th president of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) (1995–2006)
Michael Daniel Harter (1846-1896), American politician, U.S. Representative from Ohio
Franklin Pierce Harter (1886-1959), American Major League Baseball pitcher
Ali Harter (b. 1984), American singer and songwriter
Roy Harter (b. 1973), American New York Emmy award-winning, sound designer and audio mixer
Dick Harter (b. 1930), American basketball coach
Dr. Andrew Charles Harter C.B.E., British Founder and Chief Executive Officer for RealVNC Ltd was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 17th June 2017, for services to Engineering

Historic Events for the Harter family +

St. Francis Dam

Mr. Clinton William Harter, American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928
Mrs. Marian G. Harter, (nee Harrison), American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
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)