Explore the Family Name Harlow
The meaning of Harlow
English: habitational name from Harlow (Essex), Harlow in Mayfield (Staffordshire), Great Harlow in Clapham (Yorkshire), Harlow Hill in Pannal (Yorkshire), or Harlow Hill in Ovingham (Northumberland). The Essex and Northumberland placenames probably derive from Old English here ‘army’ + hlāw ‘mound, hill’. The other placenames probably derive from Old English hār ‘gray, hoar’ + hlāw.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Harlow in the United States?
The surname Harlow, based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, saw a slight dip in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 2975th most popular, and by 2010 it fell to the 3060th spot, representing a change of -2.86%. However, the actual count of people with the Harlow surname rose from 11,128 to 11,726 during this decade, indicating a growth of 5.37%. The proportion per 100k people also saw a slight decrease from 4.13 to 3.98 (-3.63%).
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,975 | #3,060 | -2.86% |
| Count | 11,128 | 11,726 | 5.37% |
| Proportion per 100k | 4.13 | 3.98 | -3.63% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Harlow
As for the ethnic identity associated with the Harlow surname, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals some changes over the same period. The largest ethnic group identifying with this surname continues to be White, although the percentage dropped slightly from 95.45% to 94.07%. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased from 0.45% to 0.66%, while those reporting two or more races went up from 0.94% to 1.58%. The Hispanic representation also increased from 1.52% to 1.88%, and Black representation grew from 0.98% to 1.3%. American Indian and Alaskan Native representation, however, saw a decline from 0.66% to 0.51%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.45% | 94.07% | -1.45% |
| Hispanic | 1.52% | 1.88% | 23.68% |
| Two or More Races | 0.94% | 1.58% | 68.09% |
| Black | 0.98% | 1.3% | 32.65% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.45% | 0.66% | 46.67% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.66% | 0.51% | -22.73% |
Harlow ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Harlow is British & Irish, which comprises 56.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.7%) and Eastern European (4.4%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 56.6% |
| French & German | 22.7% |
| Eastern European | 4.4% |
| Other | 16.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Harlow
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Harlow have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 90.90% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 90.90% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 90.90% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 90.90% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 90.60% |
What Harlow haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Harlow is I-S25383, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup I-S25383 is descended from haplogroup I-M170. Other common haplogroups include R-L2 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Hudson, Carver, Langley, Foss, Burgett, Robert, Aldridge, Deal, Craig, Tracy.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Harlow surname are: H1, H3, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins I-M170Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Harlow have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Harlow" Surname 48.1%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Harlow" Surname 20.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Harlow" Surname 19.9%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Harlow" Surname 18.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Harlow?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Harlow are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition