Skip to content
  • Start free trial

Origins of the Hart surname

A collage of historical images including two family portraits and a postcard of people boarding a ship

What does the name Hart mean?

The origin of the Hart surname is English. Most simply, the name is descriptive and derives from those who had qualities of the 'hart' (deer) or their descendants. The word also became a personal name in the medieval era, and could have arrived as a surname through the patronymic system and the successors of these named individuals.

Alternative variations of the name Hart

Hart, Harte, Hard, Harde, Art

“

I’ve managed to trace back to the mid-1500s! I can’t believe it! Utterly engrossing and I have uncovered some quite moving and heartbreaking stories attached to various ancestors. You don’t need any qualifications to start - just time patience, and some information.

SS
Stuart
TrustPilot review
1 of 3

Start your family tree

Trace your family back in time. Make new discoveries and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Harts.

Sign up to get started

Delve deeper into the Hart family's history

Where do most Harts live?

In 1921, most Harts lived in London.


Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

Interesting facts about Harts

How common is your surname?

128th most common surname in the UK

We have 255,000 records for the Hart surname. The oldest one dates back to 1220.

Who were Harts most likely to marry?

Smiths

&

Browns

Our Marriage record sets tell us which families married Harts.

What are the most common Hart first names?

  • John
  • William
  • Mary
  • Elizabeth

Our birth record sets tell us the names of Hart family members

Common jobs for Harts

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Common Female occupations for Harts in 1921
Dressmaker

1,120

Laundress

800

Domestic Servant

609

General Servant Domestic

488

Cotton Weaver

468

Common Male occupations for Harts in 1921
Agricultural Labourer

1,135

Coal Miner

1,027

General Labourer

935

Carpenter

630

Farmer

616

An image of a census transcript and a picture of a dairy farmer holding two milk jugs

Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

We found over 360,000 family trees with the Hart surname

Trace your family back in time and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Harts.

Search for a relative in our family trees

Share your discoveries

Find out more about your family in our records

or try an advanced search

Start your family history journey

Start free trial

Start free trial