2000
#12,367
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,304
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.85
Rare Last name
Hallowell
A locational surname referring to someone from any of several places named Hallowell in England.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,445 Americans carry the last name Hallowell. That puts it at #13,606 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.71 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 140,186 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hallowell 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 Hallowell with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.4K
1 in 140,186
Census rank
#13,606
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,132 bearers of the surname Hallowell in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.71 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13606th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hallowell, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Black (3.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hallowell
The surname Hallowell has its origins in England, tracing back to the 12th century. It is derived from a place name, specifically the town of Hallywell in Northumberland. The name itself is a combination of the Old English words "halig," meaning holy, and "well," referring to a spring or source of water.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Hallowell name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is mentioned as Hallewelle. This historical document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, served as a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England.
During the Middle Ages, the Hallowell family held lands and properties in various parts of England, particularly in Northumberland and Yorkshire. Records from this period indicate variations in the spelling, such as Halliwell, Hallywell, and Halywelle.
In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the Hallowell surname was John Hallowell (1518-1582), an English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers in London. He played a significant role in the city's trade and commerce.
Another prominent individual was Sir Benjamin Hallowell (1761-1834), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. He was knighted for his distinguished service and is remembered for his contributions to the Royal Navy.
In the literary realm, Reverend Edward Hallowell (1804-1862) was an English clergyman and author. He wrote several religious works and served as the headmaster of the Cheltenham College in Gloucestershire.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Hallowell name was also associated with places in the United States. For instance, Hallowell, Maine, a city founded in 1762, was named after Benjamin Hallowell, a prominent Boston merchant and landowner.
Lastly, a notable figure from more recent history was Wilbur Hallowell (1834-1917), an American businessman and industrialist. He co-founded the Hallowell Granite Works, a successful quarrying and manufacturing company based in Minnesota.
These examples illustrate the rich history and diverse backgrounds associated with the Hallowell surname, spanning several centuries and various fields, from military and literature to business and commerce.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hallowell
Among Census respondents with the surname Hallowell, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Black (3.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Hallowell 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 Hallowell surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.1% · 1,878
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 77
- Black or African American3.2% · 68
- Two or more races3.2% · 68
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 21
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 20
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hallowell
Hallowell 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
#12,460
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,491
+187 bearers (+8.1%)
Per 100,000 0.84
Rank movement Down 93 places
2020
#13,606
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,132
-359 bearers (-14.4%)
Per 100,000 0.71
Rank movement Down 1,146 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,367 | 2,304 | 0.85 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,460 | 2,491 | 0.84 | +187 bearers (+8.1%) | Down 93 places |
| 2020 | #13,606 | 2,132 | 0.71 | -359 bearers (-14.4%) | Down 1,146 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 Hallowell 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 | #12,460 | #13,606 | -9.2% |
| Count | 2,491 | 2,132 | -14.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.84 | 0.71 | -15.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hallowell bearers went from 2,491 to 2,132 (-14.4% change). The surname moved down 1,146 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,460 to #13,606.
FAQ
Hallowell surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hallowell?
Name Census estimates that about 2,445 living Americans carry the surname Hallowell. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 140,186 residents.
How common is Hallowell?
Hallowell ranks #13,606 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.71 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,132 people with the surname Hallowell. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,445), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.71 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.71 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Hallowell.
Has Hallowell become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hallowell went from 2,491 recorded bearers to 2,132. That is a decrease of 359 (-14.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #12,460 to #13,606.
What does the Census say about the background of Hallowell?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hallowell, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Black (3.2%). 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 Hallowell in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.1% (1,878 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hallowell appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.1%), Hispanic (3.6%), Black (3.2%). 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 Hallowell (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 Hallowell mean?
A locational surname referring to someone from any of several places named Hallowell 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 Hallowell (0.71 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 Hallowell?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.