Harrison is a common patronymic surname of Northern English origin. It means "son of Harry" or "Herry", due to the Middle English pronunciation of the given name Henry. It was first recorded in the 14th century. It may also be spelt Harrisson, Harryson or Harrysson. Henrison also appears in historical records, but has fallen out of use. Early records suggest that the surnames Harrison and Harris were used interchangeably by some families.