Skip to content

Origins of the Harvey surname

What does the name Harvey mean?

Harvey is a surname thought to originate in England. It is derived from the Old French 'Herve' (battle-worthy), and would be a patronymic name given to those who were the son or descendant of those with this given name. The Harvey surname has been found in records as early as the 1200s, and is thought to have Anglo-Norman roots.

Alternative variations of the name Harvey

Harvey, Harvie, Harveye, Hervie, Hervey

Start free trial
“
I’ve managed to trace back to the mid-1700s! 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 logoTrustpilot 5 stars
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 Harveys.

Sign up to get started

Delve deeper into the Harvey family's history

OrkneyShetlandHighlandsWestern IslesGrampianTaysideCentralStrathclydeFifeLothianBordersDumfriesNorth East 1075North West 696Isle of Man 22Yorkshire 1412East Midlands 951West Midlands 3215East 3338London 7150South East 2859South West 1506South Wales 635Mid Wales 44West Wales 2North Wales 67Republic of IrelandNorthern Ireland

In 1921, most Harveys lived in london

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

63,000 Harvey Travel & migration records
310,000 Harveys found in all Census records

Interesting facts about Harvey

How common is your surname?

97th most common surname in the UK

We have for the Harvey surname. The oldest one dates back to 1220.

Who were Harveys most likely to marry?

Our tell us which families married Harveys.

What are the most common Harvey first names?

John

William

Mary

Elizabeth

Our tell us the names of Harvey family members
Man with milk churns and census card collage
Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

Common jobs for Harveys

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

Common female occupations for Harveys in 1921

Dressmaker

1,425

Domestic Servant

849

Laundress

774

General Servant Domestic

736

Living On Own Means

603

Common male occupations for Harveys in 1921

Agricultural Labourer

1,460

General Labourer

1,196

Coal Miner

1,091

Farmer

1,009

Carpenter

892

We found over 330,000 family trees with the Harvey surname

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

Search for a relative in our family trees

Learn more about the lives of Harvey family members

How rare is your surname?

Have you ever wondered if your family na...

The rise and fall of these disappearing British surnames

Could your surname be on the brink of di...

English surnames explained: The seven types of last names you should know

Ever wondered where our last names come...

How to find the maiden names of women in your family tree

Try these simple tricks to pinpoint your...

4 simple steps to starting your family history journey

Starting your family history journey is...

Share your discoveries

Share to WhatsApp

Share to Facebook

Look for a different surname

Paper tear line

Find out more about your family in our records

    or try an advanced search