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

Hampton, 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 Hampton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hampton in America

Hampton is the 482nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hampton surname appeared 69,472 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 24 people would have the surname Hampton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hampton 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 Hampton

The surname Hampton has its origins in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "ham" meaning a village or homestead, and "tun" meaning an enclosure or settlement. The name essentially refers to a settlement or village in a low-lying area or by a river bend.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Hantone" and "Hantun." These entries refer to various places in Hampshire, Middlesex, and other counties, suggesting that the name was already well-established in different parts of England by the time of the Norman Conquest.

During the Middle Ages, the name was often associated with places named Hampton, such as Hampton Court in London, which was originally a manor house belonging to the Knights Hospitallers in the 13th century. Other notable places bearing the name include Hampton in Arden, Warwickshire, and Hampton, Gloucestershire.

Notable individuals with the surname Hampton throughout history include Sir John Hampton (c. 1430-1492), a British soldier and courtier who served as a standard-bearer for King Henry VII during the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485. Another prominent figure was Sir Richard Hampton (c. 1545-1601), an English politician and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, John Hampton (1600-1654) was a prominent Puritan minister and author who served as the rector of Battersea in London. During the same period, Robert Hampton (1620-1672) was a prominent English theologian and Anglican clergyman who served as the rector of Uppingham in Rutland.

Moving forward, one of the most famous bearers of the name was Wade Hampton III (1818-1902), a prominent American politician and military officer who served as a lieutenant general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. After the war, he became a prominent figure in South Carolina politics, serving as the governor of the state from 1876 to 1879.

These examples illustrate the deep historical roots and widespread presence of the surname Hampton across various regions of England and beyond, spanning multiple centuries and encompassing individuals from various walks of life.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hampton

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

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

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

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