2000
#27,258
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 834
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.31
Rare Last name
Halliwell
An English locational surname derived from any of several locations in England.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,086 Americans carry the last name Halliwell. That puts it at #27,027 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.32 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 315,612 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Halliwell surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Halliwell with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
1.1K
1 in 315,612
Census rank
#27,027
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
947
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 947 bearers of the surname Halliwell in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.32 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 27027th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Halliwell, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.4%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Halliwell
The surname Halliwell has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "halig," meaning "holy," and "well," referring to a well or spring. The name was likely given to someone who lived near a holy well or a well associated with a religious site or establishment.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Halliwell can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled "Haligewelle." This document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, recorded landholdings and settlements throughout England, providing valuable insight into the naming practices of the time.
During the 13th century, the name appeared in various records and documents, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it was recorded as "Hallewelle." This spelling variation reflects the evolution of the English language and the influence of regional dialects on the pronunciation and spelling of names.
One notable individual with the surname Halliwell was John Halliwell, born in 1661 in Derbyshire, England. He was a prominent English physician and author known for his work on the history of medicine and his contributions to the study of Shakespeare's works.
Another significant figure was James Orchard Halliwell-Phillipps, born in 1820 in Chelsea, London. He was a renowned English scholar, antiquary, and Shakespeare enthusiast. Halliwell-Phillipps made significant contributions to the study and preservation of Shakespeare's works, publishing numerous editions and critical works on the Bard's plays and sonnets.
In the realm of literature, Matilda Halliwell Betham-Edwards, born in 1836 in Suffolk, England, was a prolific writer and novelist. Her works often explored themes of social reform and women's issues, reflecting the changing attitudes of Victorian society.
The name Halliwell has also been associated with places, such as Halliwell, a suburb of Bolton in Greater Manchester, England. This area likely derived its name from the same Old English roots as the surname, indicating the presence of a holy well or spring in the vicinity.
Another notable figure was Sir Nicholas Halliwell, born in 1552 in London. He was a successful merchant and served as Lord Mayor of London in 1612. Sir Nicholas was known for his philanthropic endeavors and his support for the establishment of educational institutions in the city.
Throughout its history, the surname Halliwell has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, from scholars and authors to merchants and civic leaders. Its roots in Old English and association with holy wells have contributed to its enduring legacy as a distinctly English surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Halliwell
Among Census respondents with the surname Halliwell, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.4%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Halliwell bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Halliwell surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.9% · 832
- Hispanic or Latino5.4% · 51
- Two or more races4.4% · 42
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 8
- Black or African American0.7% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Halliwell
Halliwell appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#32,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 696
-138 bearers (-16.5%)
Per 100,000 0.24
Rank movement Down 5,677 places
2020
#27,027
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 947
+251 bearers (+36.1%)
Per 100,000 0.32
Rank movement Up 5,908 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #27,258 | 834 | 0.31 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #32,935 | 696 | 0.24 | -138 bearers (-16.5%) | Down 5,677 places |
| 2020 | #27,027 | 947 | 0.32 | +251 bearers (+36.1%) | Up 5,908 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Halliwell surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #32,935 | #27,027 | 17.9% |
| Count | 696 | 947 | 36.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.24 | 0.32 | 32.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Halliwell bearers went from 696 to 947 (+36.1% change). The surname moved up 5,908 positions in the national ranking, going from #32,935 to #27,027.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Halliwell
FAQ
Halliwell surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Halliwell?
Name Census estimates that about 1,086 living Americans carry the surname Halliwell. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 315,612 residents.
How common is Halliwell?
Halliwell ranks #27,027 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.32 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 947 people with the surname Halliwell. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,086), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.32 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.32 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Halliwell.
Has Halliwell become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Halliwell went from 696 recorded bearers to 947. That is an increase of 251 (+36.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #32,935 to #27,027.
What does the Census say about the background of Halliwell?
Among Census respondents with the surname Halliwell, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.4%) and Two or More Races (4.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Halliwell in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.9% (832 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Halliwell appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.9%), Hispanic (5.4%), Two or More Races (4.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Halliwell (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Halliwell mean?
An English locational surname derived from any of several locations in England. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Halliwell (0.32 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Halliwell?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.