Hargraves
A surname most likely derived from a place-name or a local field-name, with Hargraves and Hargreaves closely related forms.
The #9,751 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 92,884 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Hargraves is usually treated as a variant of Hargreaves / Hargrave. The name appears to come from Old English elements for a small grove or wooded enclosure, often combined with a descriptive topographic term, and was used for someone who lived near such a place. In practice, the surname is tied to several English place-names, so it is best understood as a locational surname rather than a straightforward occupational one.
History
The historical record shows Hargrave and Hargreaves used as related spellings, and 19th-century surname writers often cross-reference them rather than giving separate origins. The name is established in England, especially in areas where the place-name occurred, and later spread to other English-speaking countries through migration. Modern Hargraves is less common than Hargreaves, but both survive as family names.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
19th-century surname dictionaries often treated Hargraves as a spelling variant and simply said “see Hargraves” or “see Hargreaves,” showing how fluid surname spelling could be.
From the historical record
“family." B.L.G. HARGRAVE. HARGRAVES. Parishes, kc. in cos. Chester, Northampton, and Suffolk. HARGREAVES. See Hargraves.”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom