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

Hammett, 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 Hammett surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hammett in America

Hammett is the 4673rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hammett surname appeared 7,590 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Hammett.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hammett 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 Hammett

The surname Hammett is of English origin, derived from the Old English personal name Hamel or Hamelin. This name is thought to have been a diminutive form of the Old German name Hamo, meaning "cripple" or "flat-nosed." The surname likely emerged in the 11th or 12th century as a way to identify individuals with this given name.

Hammett is believed to have originated in the counties of Sussex and Kent in southern England. Some early records of the name include Hamelin de Gatesden, listed in the Pipe Rolls of Sussex in 1195, and Hamelin de Beaumont, mentioned in the Curia Regis Rolls of Kent in 1207. These early spellings, such as Hamelyn, Hamelin, and Hamelyn, illustrate the evolution of the surname over time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Hammett was William Hammett, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296. Another early reference is found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which mentions a John Hamelyne.

The surname Hammett has been associated with various place names throughout England. For example, the village of Hammettsfield in Surrey was once known as Hamelettes, which may have derived from an early bearer of the Hammett name. Additionally, the Hammetts were once prominent landowners in the parish of Hammett's End in Herefordshire.

Notable individuals with the surname Hammett include:

1. John Hammett (c. 1580-1626), an English playwright and actor during the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras.
2. Benjamin Hammett (1736-1800), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War.
3. Samuel Hammett (1755-1835), an English clergyman and author of several theological works.
4. Dashiell Hammett (1894-1961), an American author and screenwriter known for his hard-boiled detective novels, including "The Maltese Falcon" and "The Thin Man."
5. Barton Hammett (1909-1987), an American actor and screenwriter who co-wrote the screenplay for the film "Creature from the Black Lagoon."

The surname Hammett has a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages in England, evolving from an Old English personal name and being associated with various places and notable individuals throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hammett

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

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 Hammett 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 Hammett 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 Hammett was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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