Hardy (surname)

Hardy is an English, French, and Scottish surname.

It appears that the oldest usage is from the Old French hardi meaning "bold, courageous" which itself comes from Old Frankish hardjan meaning "to make hard". The final -y is also typical of the French proper names (first names, surnames and place names, with the notable exception Henri, when it is a given name).

Some of the oldest Hardy families in England seem to originate from a Norman Knight de Hardy in the mid 11th century. English Hardy families can mainly be found around Dorset and Yorkshire.

In Scotland, Hardi is considered to have either Norman or Viking origin but also from a separate Celtic origin as well and is mainly a Lowland surname. The Celtic variant is a shortened form of Mac Hardie, an Anglicized form of the Mac C(h)ardaih or son of the craftsman, from the root ceardaiche. Scottish Hardys are mainly affiliated with Clan Mackintosh and Clan Farquharson as a sept and the larger Clan Chattan.

Notable persons with this surname include:

A

 * Adolphe-Marie Hardy (1868–1954), Belgian poet and journalist
 * Adolphe-Maria Gustave Hardy (1920-2011), French bishop
 * Aaron Hardy (born 1986), English footballer
 * Adrian Hardy (born 1970), American football player
 * Adrien Hardy (born 1978), French rower
 * Alexander M. Hardy, U.S. Representative from Indiana
 * Alexandre Hardy (c. 1570/1572–1632), French dramatist
 * Alfred Hardy (dermatologist) (1811–1893), French dermatologist
 * Alfred Hardy (architect) (1900–1965), Belgian contractor and autodidact architect
 * Alfred Douglas Hardy (1870–1958), Australian amateur collector of freshwater algae specimens
 * Alfredo Toro Hardy (born 1950), Venezuelan diplomat and author
 * Alfred Gathorne-Hardy, British politician
 * Alister Hardy, English marine biologist
 * Ange Hardy (born 1983), English singer
 * Anne Hardy, British artist
 * Annie Hardy, American singer-guitarist with Giant Drag
 * Anthony Hardy, English mental patient and murderer
 * Antonio Hardy, a.k.a. Big Daddy Kane, African-American rap artist
 * Arnold Hardy, American photographer
 * Arthur Charles Hardy, Canadian politician
 * Arthur Hardy (actor), British actor
 * Arthur Hardy (footballer), English footballer
 * Arthur Sherburne Hardy, American novelist and diplomat
 * Arthur Sturgis Hardy, Canadian politician

B

 * Barbara Hardy, Australian environmentalist and scientist
 * Barry Hardy, American wrestler
 * Bella Hardy, English folk musician, singer and songwriter
 * Benjamin Gower Hardy, Australian George Cross recipient
 * Ben Hardy, English Actor
 * Ben Hardy (motorcycle builder), American motorcycle builder
 * Benjamin Hardy, Australian volleyball player
 * Bert Hardy, English photographer
 * Billy Hardy, English boxer
 * Billy Hardy (footballer), English footballer
 * Blaine Hardy, American baseball player
 * Bruce Hardy, American football player

C

 * "Hungry" Charles Hardy, American competitive eater
 * Carroll Hardy, American baseball player
 * Charles Hardy (Australian politician)
 * Charles Hardy (1714–1780), English naval officer
 * Charlie Hardy, Australian rules footballer
 * Chris Hardy, Canadian football player
 * Cornelius Hardy, convict transported to Australia
 * Charles Hardy, American R&B Singer, Member of The Manhattans

D

 * D. Elmo Hardy (1914–2002), American entomologist
 * Daequan Hardy (born 2001), American football player
 * Dan Hardy (born 1982), English mixed martial arts fighter
 * Daniel Hardy (disambiguation), multiple people
 * Darrell Hardy, American basketball player
 * Darryl Hardy, American football player
 * David Hardy, principal cello of the United States National Symphony Orchestra, 1994 to the present.
 * David A. Hardy (born 1936), English artist
 * David T. Hardy, American author and jurist
 * Denis Hardy (economist), Québécois economist
 * Denis Hardy (politician) (1936–2016), Québécois politician
 * Don Hardy (1926–1998), English cricketer
 * Don Ed Hardy, American tattoo artist

E

 * Ed Hardy (American football) (born 1951), American football player
 * Edgar Richard "Hardy" Hardcastle (1900–1995), British economist
 * Edward W. Hardy (born 1992), American composer, violinist, and violist
 * Elias Hardy, English-born lawyer and politician in New Brunswick
 * Elora Hardy (born 1980), Canadian designer
 * Emmett Hardy (1903–1925), American jazz cornet player
 * Ernest George Hardy, classicist
 * Evan Hardy, English rugby union player

F

 * F. Digby Hardy (1868–1930), English fraudster and spy during the Irish War of Independence
 * Françoise Hardy (1944-2024), French model, singer and actress
 * Frank Hardy (1917–1994), Australian novelist and activist
 * Frantz Hardy (born 1985), American-football player
 * Frederick Daniel Hardy (1827–1911), English painter
 * Friedhelm Hardy, (1943–2004), academic who specialized in Indian languages and religions

G

 * G. H. Hardy (1877–1947), English mathematician
 * Gathorne Hardy, 1st Earl of Cranbrook, English politician
 * Gathorne-Hardy (disambiguation), multiple people
 * Gene Hardy, Canadian multi-instrumentalist and vocalist
 * George Hardy (labor leader), Canadian-American
 * Greg Hardy, American-football player
 * Guy U. Hardy, U.S. Representative from Colorado

H

 * Hagood Hardy (1937–1997), Canadian composer & pianist
 * Harry Hardy, English footballer
 * Harvey Hardy, American footballer
 * Henry Hardy, editor of the works of Isaiah Berlin
 * Heywood Hardy, English painter
 * Hugh W. Hardy U.S. Marines General

J

 * J. J. Hardy, American baseball player
 * Jack Hardy (catcher), baseball player
 * Jack Hardy, Canadian politician
 * Jack Hardy (singer-songwriter)
 * Jaden Hardy (born 2002), American basketball player
 * James D. Hardy, Jr., American academic and historian
 * James Greene Hardy (1795–1856), Kentucky politician and orator; Lt. Governor of Kentucky
 * James Hardy (American football) (born 1985)
 * James Hardy (basketball)
 * James Hardy (rower)
 * Janet Hardy, American erotic writer
 * Jean Hardy (1762–1802), French general of the French Revolution
 * Jeff Hardy, American wrestler
 * Jeff Hardy (rugby league), Australian rugby league player
 * Jeff Hardy (swimmer), Australian Paralympic swimmer
 * Jeremy Hardy (1961–2019), English comedian
 * Jermaine Hardy, American footballer
 * Jessica Hardy (born 1987), American swimmer
 * Jim Hardy (1923–2019), American football quarterback
 * Jocelyn 'Joe' Hardy, professional ice hockey player
 * John Crumpton Hardy (20th century), President of the Mississippi Agricultural and Mechanical College
 * John Francis Gathorne-Hardy (1874–1949), British First World War General who served in Italy and the Western Front
 * John Gathorne-Hardy, 2nd Earl of Cranbrook (1839–1911), British peer and Conservative Member of Parliament
 * John Hardee, American jazz musician
 * John Hardy (composer), British composer
 * John Hardy (geneticist), British human geneticist and molecular biologist
 * John Hardy (jewelry) (born 1949), jewelry maker
 * John Hardy (MP for Bradford) (1773–1855), British MP and businessman and father of first Earl of Cranbrook
 * John Hardy (US politician) (1835–1913), U.S. Representative from New York
 * John Hardy, 1st Baronet (1809–1888), British Conservative Member of Parliament
 * John Spencer Hardy (1913–2012), American lieutenant general
 * Jonathan Hardy, New Zealand actor and screenwriter
 * Jonny Hardy, Israeli footballer
 * Joseph A. Hardy III, American businessman
 * Joseph Hardy, American stage director
 * Jules Hardy, Québécois doctor

K

 * K8 Hardy, performance artist
 * Karen Hardy, ballroom dancer
 * Kevin Hardy (defensive tackle)
 * Kevin Hardy (linebacker)

L

 * Larry Hardy (American football)
 * Larry Hardy (baseball)
 * Lawrence Hardy, English footballer
 * Leonard W. Hardy, Mormon pioneer
 * Leslie Hardy, American musician
 * Linda Hardy, French actress and model
 * Louise Hardy, Canadian politician
 * Lyndon Hardy, American science-fiction author
 * Lucien Hardy, theoretical physicist

M

 * Mabel Hardy (1890–1977), South Australian educator
 * María Cordero Hardy, Puerto Rican physiologist, educator and scientist
 * Marieke Hardy, Australian television writer
 * Mark A. Hardy, American surgeon
 * Mark Lea Hardy, Swiss hockey player
 * Mary Hardy (comedian), Australian television and radio presenter
 * Matt Hardy, American wrestler
 * Matthew P. Hardy, American reproductive biologist
 * Max Hardy, American chef and restaurateur
 * Milton H. Hardy, American educator
 * Moses Hardy, American supercentenarian

N

 * Nelson Hardy, Australian Rugby League player
 * Nell Carter (1948–2003), born Nell Ruth Hardy, American singer and actress

O

 * Oliver Hardy (1892–1957), American comedy actor

P

 * Paul Hardy (disambiguation)
 * Percy Hardy, English cricketer
 * Peter Hardy, Baron Hardy of Wath (1931–2003), English politician
 * Peter Hardy (actor), Australian Actor
 * Peter Hardy, Canadian brewer and baseball executive
 * Phil Hardy, British footballer
 * Phil Hardy, English film and music industry journalist
 * Phillip E. Hardy, American music critic
 * Porter Hardy Jr., U.S. representative from Virginia

R

 * Red Hardy (1923–2003), American baseball pitcher
 * René Hardy, member of the French Resistance
 * Richard Meredith-Hardy, British microlight pilot
 * Rob Hardy, film director
 * Robert Hardy (1925–2017), English actor
 * Robert Hardy, bassist with Franz Ferdinand
 * Robert Maynard Hardy, Anglican bishop
 * Robin Hardy (American writer), an American novelist
 * Robin Hardy (Canadian writer), a Canadian novelist and journalist
 * Robin Hardy (film director) (1929–2016), British film director
 * Roger Hardy, Canadian Internet entrepreneur
 * Romain Hardy
 * Ron Hardy, American DJ
 * Ronald Hardy, English novelist
 * Rufus Hardy (representative) (1855–1943), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas
 * Rufus K. Hardy (1878–1945), leader and missionary in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

S

 * Sam Hardy (disambiguation)
 * Samuel Hardy, American lawyer and politician
 * Sarah Frances Hardy, American author and artist
 * Solomon Hardy, English cricketer
 * Stan Hardy, English footballer and manager

T

 * Temple Hardy, British naval officer
 * Terry Hardy, American-football player
 * Theodore Bayley Hardy, British Army chaplain
 * Thomas Duffus Hardy, English antiquary
 * Thomas Hardy (English painter)
 * Thomas Hardy (political reformer) (1752–1832)
 * Sir Thomas Hardy, 1st Baronet (1769–1839), British naval officer and Nelson's flag-captain at Trafalgar
 * Thomas Hardy (winemaker) (1830 – 1912), "Father of the South Australian Wine Industry"
 * Thomas Hardy (1840–1928), English novelist and poet
 * Thomas Lionel Hardy (1887–1969), English physician
 * Todd Hardy, Canadian politician
 * Tom Hardy (designer) (born 1946), American design strategist
 * Tom Hardy (born 1977), English stage, film and television actor
 * Trevor Hardy, convicted murderer

W

 * Warren Hardy, Nevada state senator
 * W. G. Hardy, Canadian professor, writer and ice hockey administrator
 * Wilfred Hardy, British artist and illustrator
 * William Bate Hardy, British biologist
 * William H. Hardy, American founder of Hattiesburg
 * William Le Hardy, English Archivist
 * Willie Hardy, American politician and activist

Fictional characters

 * Alec Hardy, character in the ITV television programme Broadchurch, played by David Tennant
 * Andy Hardy, character in films, played by Mickey Rooney
 * Frank Hardy, character in the Hardy Boys novels
 * Gladys Hardy, character in The Ellen DeGeneres Show
 * Jemma Hardy, character in Ian Irvine's novel The Last Albatross
 * Joe Hardy, character in the Hardy Boys novels
 * Lewis Hardy, character in the ITV television programme The Bill
 * Ryan Hardy, character in The Following
 * Steiner Hardy, character from the anime Gundam 0080
 * Anti-heroes created by Marvel Comics :
 * Felicia Hardy (The Black Cat)
 * Felicity Hardy (The Scarlet Spider)
 * Walter Hardy or John Hardesky (The Cat)
 * On the ABC soap opera, General Hospital :
 * Audrey March Hardy
 * Simone Ravelle Hardy
 * Steve Hardy
 * Tommy Hardy
 * Tom Hardy
 * Tommy Hardy