Hammond
A masculine given name derived from the Old French words "ham" and "ond", meaning "home" and "ruler".
Name Census estimates that about 168 living Americans carry the first name Hammond. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Hammond today is around 48 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Hammond births was 1921 (27 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Hammond. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
168
~ 1 in 2,040,204 Americans
Peak year
1921
27 babies that year
Average age
48
years old
2023 SSA rank
#12,886
Tracked since 1892
Popularity
Hammond: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Hammond from the 1890s through to the 2020s, spanning 12 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 115 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1910s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Hammond by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Hammond during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Hammonds live
Origin
Meaning and history of Hammond
The name Hammond has its origins in the Old English language, deriving from the words "ham" and "mund." "Ham" referred to a homestead or village, while "mund" meant protection or defense. Together, these elements suggest that the name Hammond originally meant "homestead protector" or "village defender."
The earliest known use of the name Hammond dates back to the late Anglo-Saxon period in England, around the 9th or 10th century. It was initially a surname given to individuals who held responsibilities for safeguarding their communities or were associated with protective roles.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Hammond was Hamon de Mascy, a Norman knight who lived in the late 11th century. He accompanied William the Conqueror during the Norman conquest of England in 1066 and was granted lands in Cheshire, where he established his family's lineage.
In the 12th century, the name Hammond appeared in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This historical record provides evidence of the name's use during the early medieval period in England.
Over the centuries, the name Hammond has been carried by several notable individuals. One such figure was John Hammond (1555-1617), a renowned English physician and writer who authored works on anatomy and medical practices. Another was Sir Robert Hammond (1621-1654), an English military officer who served as a colonel during the English Civil War.
In the realm of literature, the name Hammond is associated with the British poet and essayist James Hammond (1710-1742), known for his satirical works and his collaboration with Alexander Pope. Additionally, John Hays Hammond (1855-1936), an American mining engineer and diplomat, played a significant role in the development of the mining industry and served as a special ambassador during World War I.
Another prominent individual with the name Hammond was John Henry Hammond Jr. (1910-1987), an American music producer and talent scout. He is credited with discovering and promoting numerous influential artists, including Billie Holiday, Benny Goodman, and Bruce Springsteen, and played a pivotal role in shaping the course of American popular music.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the name Hammond throughout history, demonstrating its enduring presence and the diverse fields in which it has been represented.
People
Hammond + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Hammond as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Hammond: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Hammond?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 168 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Hammond going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,040,204 US residents.
Is Hammond a common name?
We classify Hammond as "Very Rare". It ranks above 71.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 474 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Hammond most popular?
The single biggest year for Hammond was 1921, when 27 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Hammond is about 48 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Hammond a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Hammond in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.