Hairston
Derived from a place name meaning "town on the rock" in Old English.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 18,680 Americans carry the last name Hairston. That puts it at #2,260 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 5.45 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 18,349 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hairston surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
19K
1 in 18,349
Census rank
#2,260
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
5.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
16K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 16,090 bearers of the surname Hairston in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 5.45 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2260th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hairston, the largest self-reported group is Black at 80.8%. The next largest groups are White (12.2%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hairston
The surname Hairston is believed to have originated in England, with the earliest known records dating back to the late 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "hær" meaning hair and "stan" meaning stone or rock, possibly referring to a place name or a descriptive nickname for someone with a distinctive hairstyle or hair color.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the parish records of Cheshire, England, where a William Hairston was mentioned in 1592. Records also show a John Hairston residing in Lancashire in the early 1600s.
The Hairston name gained prominence in the American colonies, particularly in Virginia, where the family established itself as prominent landowners and planters. One of the earliest and most notable figures was Samuel Hairston, born in 1728, who settled in Henry County, Virginia, and acquired vast tracts of land through land grants and purchases.
Another prominent member of the Hairston family was Peter Hairston, born in 1776, who served as a colonel in the Virginia militia during the War of 1812. He was a successful planter and businessman, owning several plantations and mills in Virginia and North Carolina.
In the 19th century, the Hairston family continued to play a significant role in the American South. George Hairston, born in 1807, was a prominent planter and slave owner in Virginia and North Carolina, known for his involvement in the iron industry and the construction of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad.
The Hairston name can also be found in other parts of the world, such as Australia and South Africa, where descendants of the English and American Hairstons settled and established themselves.
Notable individuals with the surname Hairston include Jaki Hairston, an American film director and screenwriter born in 1915, and Cedric Hairston, an American professional basketball player born in 1971. Additionally, Al Hairston, born in 1920, was a prominent American jazz pianist and composer, known for his work with Count Basie and Duke Ellington.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hairston
Among Census respondents with the surname Hairston, the largest self-reported group is Black at 80.8%. The next largest groups are White (12.2%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Hairston bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Hairston surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American80.8%
- White12.2%
- Two or more races4.4%
- Hispanic or Latino2.1%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Hairston surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,260 | #2,260 | 0.0% |
| Count | 16,090 | 16,090 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 5.45 | 5.45 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Hairston bearers went from 16,090 to 16,090 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #2,260 to #2,260.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Hairston
FAQ
Hairston surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Hairston?
The surname Hairston holds position #2,260 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 18,680 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 5.45 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Hairston surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hairston, the largest self-reported group is Black at 80.8%. The next largest groups are White (12.2%) and Two or More Races (4.4%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.