Harner
A surname likely tied to a maker or seller of coarse linen, though the historical evidence is thin and the form may also be a spelling variant of other names.
The #7,761 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 72,187 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The old excerpt appears to connect Harner with a word for coarse linen plus the agent suffix -er, giving the sense of “one connected with coarse linen,” likely a maker or dealer. Because the OCR is noisy and the passage is only an incidental mention, this derivation should be treated cautiously. In practice, Harner may also be a spelling variant or altered form of another surname, so its exact root is not fully secure.
History
The surname is recorded in the United States and may have developed through regional spelling variation or later simplification from an older form. The historical evidence here is too slight to trace a firm line of descent, but the name fits the broader pattern of surnames arising from trades, materials, or local dialect words. Modern bearers are mostly found in English-speaking countries, especially the U.S.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The old note associates the name with coarse linen rather than a place or personal trait, which makes it an unusual-looking occupational surname.
From the historical record
“with his plaid. Harner. Harn^ very coarse linen ; ere, an agent. One who makes coarse linen. Hasher. Hash, a fellow that neither knows how to dress nor act with propriety ; ere, an agent. A fellow that does not dress becomingly.”
— Family Names from the Irish, Anglo-Saxon, Anglo-Norman and Scotch