2000
#146,011
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Hanchette
A French surname likely derived from a diminutive form of Hans or John.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Hanchette. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hanchette 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.
Bearers in the US
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Hanchette in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hanchette, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.6%. The next largest groups are Black (5.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (3.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hanchette
The surname Hanchette is believed to have originated in medieval France, specifically in the northern regions of the country. It is derived from the Old French word "hanchet," which referred to a small hatchet or a type of woodcutter's tool. This suggests that the name may have originally been an occupational surname, given to individuals or families who worked as woodcutters or forestry workers.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hanchette can be found in the Livre des Métiers, a medieval collection of guilds and trades compiled in Paris during the 13th century. This document lists several individuals with the surname Hanchette among the members of the woodcutters' guild, indicating that the name was already in use at that time.
As the name spread throughout France, it underwent various spelling variations, including Hanchet, Hanchette, and Hanchettes. These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time. Some records also suggest that the name may have been influenced by the Old French term "hanche," meaning "hip" or "haunch," potentially referring to the physical characteristics of an individual or family.
In the 14th century, a prominent figure named Jean Hanchette was recorded as a merchant and landowner in the town of Rouen, Normandy. He is mentioned in several historical documents from the period, including tax records and land deeds, indicating his status and wealth within the community.
Another notable individual was Étienne Hanchette, a French soldier who served in the Hundred Years' War during the 15th century. He is mentioned in the chronicles of the time for his bravery and valor on the battlefield, earning him recognition among his contemporaries.
During the 16th century, the Hanchette family established roots in the region of Lorraine, where they became prominent landowners and noblemen. One member, Pierre Hanchette, is recorded as having been granted a coat of arms by King Francis I in 1535, a testament to the family's elevated social status.
In the 17th century, a French explorer named Jacques Hanchette is believed to have participated in the colonization of the Americas, although details about his specific exploits are scarce in historical records.
As the centuries passed, the Hanchette name continued to be present in various parts of France, with some individuals achieving notable positions or contributing to various fields, such as law, academia, and the arts.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hanchette
Among Census respondents with the surname Hanchette, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.6%. The next largest groups are Black (5.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (3.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Hanchette 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 Hanchette surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.6% · 92
- Black or African American5.7% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native3.8% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hanchette
Hanchette 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
#148,347
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+7 bearers (+6.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,336 places
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-6 bearers (-5.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,642 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #146,011 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #148,347 | 111 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.7%) | Down 2,336 places |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.4%) | Down 4,642 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 Hanchette 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 | #148,347 | #152,989 | -3.1% |
| Count | 111 | 105 | -5.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hanchette bearers went from 111 to 105 (-5.4% change). The surname moved down 4,642 positions in the national ranking, going from #148,347 to #152,989.
FAQ
Hanchette surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hanchette?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Hanchette. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Hanchette?
Hanchette ranks #152,989 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 105 people with the surname Hanchette. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Hanchette.
Has Hanchette become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hanchette went from 111 recorded bearers to 105. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #148,347 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Hanchette?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hanchette, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.6%. The next largest groups are Black (5.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (3.8%). 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 Hanchette in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.6% (92 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hanchette appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.6%), Black (5.7%), American Indian/Alaska Native (3.8%). 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 Hanchette (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 Hanchette mean?
A French surname likely derived from a diminutive form of Hans or John. 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 Hanchette (0.04 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 people share the surname Hanchette?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.