HARRISON
Harrison is a surname of English origin that belongs to the wider family of Germanic patronymics. It is derived from the medieval personal name Harry, itself a diminutive of Henry. The name Henry originates from the Germanic compound Heinrich (Old German Haimric), meaning “home ruler” or “ruler of the household”. Consequently the surname may be interpreted as “son of Harry” or “son of Henry”, signalling a direct familial link to an ancestor bearing one of these forenames.
The formation of Harrison follows the patronymic pattern common in medieval England, wherein the suffix –son denotes descent. After the Norman Conquest of 1066 the name Henri entered England, gaining popularity through the reign of eight English monarchs who bore the cognate form Henry. By the time of the Domesday Survey (1086) the name appears as Henricus, and a variety of pet forms such as Herry, Harry, Hann, Hal and Hankin developed during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.
Early documentary evidence of the surname includes the entry for Robert Harriesone in the Calendar of Pleas for the City of London (1355) and the record of John Harryson of Sheffield, Yorkshire, dated 1445. These instances confirm the establishment of the patronymic in the British Isles by the late medieval period. The surname was borne by notable figures such as Colonel Thomas Harrison (1606‑1660), a parliamentarian and regicide, and by American descendants of Benjamin Harrison, who emigrated from England to Virginia in 1633‑1634.
In the field of heraldry the name enjoys a distinguished status, with more than forty recorded coats of arms and thirty entries in the Dictionary of National Biography. The prominence of the Harrison lineage is reflected not only in its heraldic variety but also in its trans‑atlantic influence, exemplified by William Henry Harrison (1773‑1841) and Benjamin Harrison (1833‑1901), both of whom served as Presidents of the United States.
Typical given names associated with the Harrison surname
Male
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
Female
- Christine
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Julie
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Fitzharris
- Hairison
- Harason
- Harbieson
- Harbison
- Hardison
- Hareson
- Harinson
- Harison
- Harisson
- Harkinson
- Harkison
- Harkson
- Harmison
- Harnson
- Harpison
- Harrason
- Harreson
- Harries
- Harrieson
- Harrigan
- Harrigon
- Harrigson
- Harrinson
- Harrion
- Harriosn
- Harris
- Harrise
- Harrisen
- Harrisin
- Harrision
- Harriso
- Harrisone
- Harrisons
- Harrisow
- Harriss
- Harrisson
- Harriston
- Harristton
- Harrrison
- Harrsion
- Harrson
- Harryson
- Harrysson
- Harson
- Harsono
- Hartison
- Harvison
- Harzon
- Hawison
- Hearson
- Henry
- Herison
- Herisson
- Herrison
- Herrson
- Herson
- Hireson
- Hirson
- Horrison
- Horson
- Hurrison
- Hurson
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Harrison in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Harrison are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Hobnob.
There are approximately 120,610 people named Harrison in the UK. That makes it the 38th most common surname in Britain. Around 1,852 in a million people in Britain are named Harrison.
Surname type: From name of parent
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Harrison
- George Harrison - Musician and lead guitarist of the Beatles (1943 to 2001)
- Dominic Richard Harrison - Singer, songwriter, and musician
- Dhani Harrison - Musician
- Rex Harrison - Film and stage actor (1908 to 1990)
- William Henry Harrison - American general and politician, 9th President of the United States (1773 to 1841)
- Blake Harrison - Actor
- Jack Harrison - Football player
- Olivia Harrison - American-Mexican author and film producer
- Audley Harrison - Boxer
- Noel Harrison - Olympic athlete, actor, and singer (1934 to 2013)
- Benjamin Harrison - American politician, 23rd President of the United States (1833 to 1901)
- Richard Benjamin Harrison - American pawnbroker and television personality (1941 to 2018)
- Rick Harrison - American pawnbroker and television personality
- Gavin Harrison - Drummer and percussionist
- Kathleen Harrison - Actress (1892 to 1995)
- Cathryn Harrison - Actress
- Carol Harrison - Actress
- Tony Harrison - Tony Harrison is a British poet and playwright
- Corey Harrison - American pawnbroker and television personality
- Ellie Harrison - Television presenter
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.