Explore the Family Name Harness
The meaning of Harness
1. English (Lincolnshire): of Norman origin, from the Middle English and Old French personal name Erneis, Herneis (ancient Germanic Arn(e)gis, possibly from arn- ‘eagle’ + the base-form of gisl- ‘pledge, hostage’). Compare Ernest. 2. English (Lincolnshire): occasionally possibly also a nickname from Middle English, Old French harneis ‘harness, equipment, gear, tackle (especially body armor and horse trappings)’, used to denote a maker of harnesses or other equipment, or someone who wore a distinctive suit of armor. 3. Norwegian: old variant of Harnes (and, in North America, probably also an altered form of this), a habitational name from the farm name Harnes, from an unattested word for ‘rock, stony soil’ + nes ‘promontory, headland’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Harness in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname "Harness" has seen changes in its popularity over the years. In 2000, it was ranked as the 6091st most popular surname, but by 2010, it had slipped to the 6346th spot, indicating a decrease in popularity by 4.19%. However, the count of people with this surname actually increased from 5199 to 5371, marking a growth of 3.31% during this period. The proportion per 100,000 also saw a slight dip, moving from 1.93 to 1.82, which is a decrease of 5.7%.
2000 | 2010 | Change | |
---|---|---|---|
Rank | #6,091 | #6,346 | -4.19% |
Count | 5,199 | 5,371 | 3.31% |
Proportion per 100k | 1.93 | 1.82 | -5.7% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Harness
The ethnic identity associated with the Harness surname also saw shifts between 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The percentage of Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic individuals with this surname increased by 54.84% and 55.21%, respectively. There was also a slight increase in Black (7.28%) and American Indian and Alaskan Native (3.70%) individuals bearing this surname. However, there was a decrease among those identifying as White (-1.73%) and those of two or more races (-13.50%).
2000 | 2010 | Change | |
---|---|---|---|
White | 86.19% | 84.7% | -1.73% |
Black | 9.06% | 9.72% | 7.28% |
Hispanic | 1.63% | 2.53% | 55.21% |
Two or More Races | 2% | 1.73% | -13.5% |
American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.81% | 0.84% | 3.7% |
Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.31% | 0.48% | 54.84% |
Harness 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 Harness is British & Irish, which comprises 56.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (25.9%) and Scandinavian (2.5%). Additional ancestries include Nigerian, Eastern European, Italian, Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, and Spanish & Portuguese.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
---|---|
British & Irish | 56.2% |
French & German | 25.9% |
Scandinavian | 2.5% |
Other | 15.4% |
![Harness](/_next/static/media/gb.dc1a9d97.webp)
Possible origins of the surname Harness
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 Harness have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
---|---|
Greater London, United Kingdom | 89.10% |
West Midlands, United Kingdom | 89.10% |
Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 89.10% |
Merseyside, United Kingdom | 89.10% |
Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 89.10% |
What Harness 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 Harness is R-L48, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L48 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and IJ-M429, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Olive, Wilburn, Ladd, Currier, Napier, Dobbs, Mullis, Rains, Raines, Hassell.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Harness surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
![harness](/_next/static/media/Map_paternal_R1b_blue.ce47eb37.webp)
![Paternal Haplo Image](/_next/static/media/king_louis_xvi.922b49af.webp)
Your paternal lineage may be linked to King Louis XVI
The rule of France by men of the House of Bourbon began with King Henri IV in 1589 C.E. and continued until the beheading of his direct paternal descendant King Louis XVI in 1793. Several years ago, researchers analyzed a mummified head and a blood-soaked cloth that they believed might belong to the two kings, and concluded that the royal paternal line belonged to haplogroup G. In a more recent study, however, a different set of researchers tested three living men who are direct descendants of the Bourbon kings. Their efforts revealed that the male lineage of the House of Bourbon is actually a branch of haplogroup R-M405.
Your 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.
![Maternal Haplo Image](/_next/static/media/marie_antoinette.b4819cf7.webp)
What do people with the surname Harness 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
Traits
Habits
Wellness
![Harness](/_next/static/media/migraine_diagnosis-blue.36a5b635.webp)
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Harness" Surname 26.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Harness?
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 Harness are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition