Harcourt

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A family name of Norman-French origin, borne by people in England and elsewhere, and sometimes used as a place name
2. A surname with Norman-French roots, carried by many families in England and other English-speaking countries
3. An English family name of Norman-French derivation that also appears as the name of various places and institutions

Etymology: Harcourt is not a word in the usual sense but a surname and place name. It comes from Harcourt, a village in the Eure department of Normandy, and the name of the village is the source for the family. Norman families often took their names from the lands they held, and the Harcourt family took theirs from this village. Members of the family later held English titles, including the earldom of Harcourt, so the name became established in England through that lineage. The place name's own origin is less certain. Its ending points to Old Norse or Scandinavian settlement in Normandy, but the exact meaning of its first element is uncertain, and no firm gloss can be given with confidence. What is clear is that the name moved from a Norman village to an English family, and from there to a surname that still appears in British public life and in place names elsewhere, including the company names that later used it.