Harrison
/ˈhærɪsən/noun
An English surname meaning “son of Harry,” also used as a given name.
Did you know?Harrison is a patronymic surname, so its hidden power is ancestral: it preserves a father-name that ultimately comes from Henry, a Germanic name tied to household rule and power.
Etymological Timeline
Middle English
English
Harrisson / Harrison
““son of Harry,” a hereditary surname identifying descent”
Old French
French
Henri / Harry
“a vernacular form of the personal name Henry”
Old High German
OHG
Heimrich / Haimirich
“a personal name meaning “home-ruler” or “ruler of the household””
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*haimaz + *rīkijaz
““home” + “ruler, powerful””
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*tkei- / *reik-
““settle, dwell” + “to rule, be powerful””