Surname list
This page lists people with the surname Harman. If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.
| Origin | |
|---|---|
| Meaning | "Protector" |
| Region of origin | Old German |
| Other names | |
| Variant form(s) | Harmon, Hermann, Herman, Harmann, Harmin, Arman, Armani, Ehrman, Ehrmann |
Harman is a surname of Germanic origin dating back before Christ. Most notable, (Arminius) was the unifier of the early Germanic tribes against the Roman Empire. In Low German the name is Hermann; in Upper German it is Harman. Its early name relationship to Arminius (who was German born and educated in Rome) was discovered by Martin Luther. Arminius himself is said to have descended from the lower German tribes on coastal Germany who many originated as fisherman from the British Isles.
The name, possibly one of the oldest known surnames, has seen many variations in spelling and is found in over 40 languages. Spelling variations also include Hardman, Hartman, Hartmande, Hermande, Hartmann, Herman, Larmande, Armande, Arman, Armmand, Hermman, Larmand, Ehrman, Ehrmann, and Armand. Additional Phonetic variations exist.
The term "Army" is also thought to be derived from the name. This is not surprising as Arminius unified the German tribes and drove the Roman army into submission.