Hardy
A surname that usually began as a nickname for a brave, sturdy, or resilient person.
The #399 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 3,847 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Hardy comes from the Old French word hardi, meaning brave, bold, or daring. It was adopted into Middle English as a nickname for someone thought to be courageous, tough, or spirited. In some cases it may also reflect the older English sense of 'hardy' in the modern meaning of sturdy or tough.
History
The name is well established in England by the medieval period, and later spread widely in Britain and beyond. Some historical writers also treated it as a shortened or anglicized form in Celtic contexts, but the main English surname is generally explained as a nickname surname. It remains common today, especially in England, the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same root gave English the adjective 'hardy,' so the surname and the common word share the same basic idea of toughness.
From the historical record
“Bucks, Northampton, &c. HARDY. Fr. hardi, brave, courageous, hardy. H.R. Hardi. HARE. From swiftness of foot. " The family of Hare (of Stow-Bardolpli, Barts.) claimed to be a scion of the house of Hare- court or Harcourt in Lorraine, who were counts of Normandy." Burke's Ext. Barts. HAREBY. A parish in…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom