Explore the Family Name Harwell
The meaning of Harwell
English: habitational name from either of two places called Harwell (Berkshire, Nottinghamshire). The Berkshire placename probably derives from an old hill name Hāra (itself from Old English hār ‘gray’) + Old English wella ‘well, spring, stream’, while the Nottinghamshire placename probably comes from Old English here ‘army’ + wella ‘well, spring, stream’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Harwell in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Harwell has seen slight changes in its popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Harwell was ranked 4522 in terms of popularity amongst surnames, while in 2010 it dropped to 4871, indicating a decrease of 7.72%. Despite this drop in rank, the actual count of individuals with the Harwell surname increased slightly from 7219 to 7234, making for a minor growth of 0.21%. However, when analyzing the proportion per 100k people, Harwell's presence decreased by 8.58%, moving from 2.68 to 2.45.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,522 | #4,871 | -7.72% |
| Count | 7,219 | 7,234 | 0.21% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.68 | 2.45 | -8.58% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Harwell
When looking at the ethnic identity associated with the surname Harwell from data provided by the Decennial U.S. Census, several shifts can be observed between 2000 and 2010. The largest increase occurred within the Asian/Pacific Islander demographic, which grew by an impressive 67.86%, although it still only represents 0.47% of the total Harwell population. Additionally, there was a 40.48% increase in those identifying as Hispanic and a modest 8.47% increase in those claiming two or more races. Conversely, there were slight decreases in the percentage of individuals identifying as White and Black by 0.92% and 2.19%, respectively. The percentage of those who identify as American Indian and Alaskan Native remained steady at 0.54%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 83.88% | 83.11% | -0.92% |
| Black | 11.86% | 11.6% | -2.19% |
| Hispanic | 1.68% | 2.36% | 40.48% |
| Two or More Races | 1.77% | 1.92% | 8.47% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.54% | 0.54% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.28% | 0.47% | 67.86% |
Harwell 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 Harwell is British & Irish, which comprises 62.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (17.9%) and Italian (3.0%). Additional ancestries include Nigerian, Spanish & Portuguese, Scandinavian, Indigenous American, and Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 62.1% |
| French & German | 17.9% |
| Italian | 3.0% |
| Other | 17.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Harwell
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 Harwell have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 91.00% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 91.00% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 90.40% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 90.40% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 89.70% |
What Harwell 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 Harwell is R-S744, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-S744 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L21 and E-P179, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Cathey, Easley, Hepburn, Bane, Bain, Downie, Livingstone, Frasier, Bayne, Barron.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Harwell surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your 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 Harwell 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.
"Harwell" Surname 32.6%
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.
"Harwell" Surname 28.9%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Harwell" Surname 27.0%
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.
"Harwell" Surname 21.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Harwell?
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 Harwell are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition