Harrison is an English given name and surname of patronymic origin, derived from the Middle English personal name Harry. The name literally means "son of Harry", with Harry itself being a medieval form of Henry, ultimately from the Germanic elements heim ("home") and ric ("power, ruler"). The surname first appeared in records in the 14th century, and early spellings also included Harrisson, Harryson, and Harrysson. In some families, the surnames Harrison and Harris were used interchangeably. Notable Bearers Harrison gained prominence as the surname of two American presidents. William Henry Harrison (1773–1841) was the ninth U.S. president, who served only 31 days in office before dying of pneumonia, making his tenure the shortest. His grandson, Benjamin Harrison (1833–1901), served as the 23rd president from 1889 to 1893, known for signing the Sherman Antitrust Act and admitting six new states to the Union. The surname's use as a first name declined in the 20th century, reaching a low point in the United States in 1977. It was dramatically revived by the career of actor Harrison Ford (born 1942), who achieved iconic stardom with his roles as Han Solo in Star Wars (1977) and Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1984). Ford's influence propelled Harrison into the top 100 boys' names in the U.S. by the late 1990s. Distribution As a surname, Harrison ranked as the 141st most common in the United States according to the 2010 census, with 181,091 entries. It is of Northern English origin and remains particularly common in England and other Anglophone countries. The variant Harris is significantly more frequent, ranking 25th in the U.S. with 624,252 entries. Usage as a Given Name As a first name, Harrison has been consistently used since the late 20th century, influenced by positive associations with pioneering Baby Boomers. Its popularity has remained steady, often chosen for its surname–as–first–name style and perceived strength. The name is unambiguously masculine, echoing its patronymic origin common in the English–speaking world. Meaning: "son of Harry" Origin: English patro