Find out how popular the last name Hamill is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Hamill.

Hamill, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Hamill surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hamill in America

Hamill is the 5954th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hamill surname appeared 5,781 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Hamill.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hamill to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Hamill

The surname Hamill has its origins in the British Isles, specifically in Ireland and Scotland. It is derived from the Gaelic word "camas," meaning "crooked or winding," which was often used to describe a river or stream. The name likely referred to someone who lived near such a waterway.

In Ireland, the name first appeared in County Armagh, where it was recorded as early as the 12th century. One of the earliest references to the name is found in the Annals of Ulster, a medieval chronicle that mentions a "Gillamurry Hamill" in 1178.

The name also has a strong presence in Scotland, particularly in the counties of Ayrshire and Renfrewshire. In Scotland, it was often spelled as "Hammill" or "Hammil." One notable bearer of the name was John Hamill, a Scottish soldier who served in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783).

In the 16th century, the name appeared in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of instruments recording the submission of Scottish nobles and landowners to Edward I of England. The name "Hamill" is listed among those who swore fealty to the English king.

The name Hamill has also been associated with several places in Ireland and Scotland, such as Hamiltonbawn in County Armagh and Hamiltonhill in Glasgow. These place names likely derived from the surname, indicating areas where families with the name settled or held land.

Some notable individuals with the surname Hamill throughout history include:

1. Patrick Hamill (1512-1589), an Irish Catholic priest and martyr who was executed during the reign of Elizabeth I.
2. John Hamill (1755-1820), a Scottish poet and essayist known for his works on Scottish history and culture.
3. Dorothy Hamill (born 1956), an American figure skater who won a gold medal at the 1976 Winter Olympics.
4. Pete Hamill (1935-2020), an American journalist, novelist, and editor known for his works on New York City life.
5. Mark Hamill (born 1951), an American actor best known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars film franchise.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hamill

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Hamill.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Hamill was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Hamill has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Hamill was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Hamill, please contact us.

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