Harce
Of unknown origin, possibly derived from the Old French word "herce" meaning harrow.
Name Census estimates that about 21 living Americans carry the first name Harce. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Harce today is around 90 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Harce births was 1935 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Harce. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Harce is about 90 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Harces were born before 1946.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Harce. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
21
~ 1 in 16,321,635 Americans
Peak year
1935
12 babies that year
Average age
90
years old
1941 SSA rank
#3,723
Tracked since 1914
Popularity
Harce: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Harce from the 1910s through to the 1940s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1930s, with 75 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1930s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Harce by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Harce during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Harces live
Origin
Meaning and history of Harce
The given name Harce is a relatively obscure one, with its origins shrouded in mystery. Some scholars believe it may have originated from an ancient Germanic language, possibly derived from the root word "harc," which meant "strong" or "valiant." Others speculate it could have roots in old Norse or even Celtic tongues.
One of the earliest documented references to the name Harce can be found in a 9th-century manuscript detailing the exploits of a Frankish warrior bearing that moniker. This manuscript, though fragmented, suggests that Harce was a revered figure among his comrades, renowned for his bravery and skill on the battlefield.
In the 11th century, a monk known as Harce the Illuminator gained fame for his exquisite illuminated manuscripts, which adorned the libraries of several prominent European monasteries. His intricate work was widely celebrated and influenced generations of calligraphers and illustrators.
During the Renaissance period, a Venetian merchant named Harce Marcello made a name for himself through his extensive trade networks and business acumen. His successful dealings with the Ottoman Empire and the Far East brought him considerable wealth and influence.
In the 18th century, a French philosopher and mathematician, Harce Descartes, contributed significantly to the fields of geometry and analytical thought. His work on Cartesian coordinates and the application of algebra to geometry laid the foundation for modern analytical geometry.
Finally, in the 19th century, a British explorer and naturalist named Harce Livingstone embarked on several expeditions to Africa, documenting the continent's flora and fauna. His accounts of his travels and encounters with indigenous cultures were widely read and helped shape the perception of Africa in the Western world.
While the name Harce may not be as common as some others, its presence throughout history highlights its unique and intriguing past, spanning various cultures and eras.
People
Harce + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Harce as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Harce: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Harce?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 21 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Harce going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 16,321,635 US residents.
Is Harce a common name?
We classify Harce as "Very Rare". It ranks above 40.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 139 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Harce most popular?
The single biggest year for Harce was 1935, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Harce is about 90 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Harce in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Harce a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Harce in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Harce still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Harce in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Harce can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Harce?
See how many people share the name Harce on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.