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

Hanford, 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 Hanford surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hanford in America

Hanford is the 15595th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hanford surname appeared 1,875 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Hanford.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hanford 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 Hanford

The surname Hanford has its origins in England, where it emerged during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from a place name, specifically a location known as "Handforth" in the county of Cheshire. This place name is thought to have its roots in the Old English words "hond," meaning hand, and "ford," referring to a shallow crossing or ford over a river.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Hanford surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Handforde," indicating its presence in the region during the Norman conquest of England.

In the 13th century, records show a Sir John de Hanford, a prominent figure who held lands in Cheshire. His family is believed to have taken their surname from the village of Handforth, further solidifying the connection between the name and the geographic location.

During the 16th century, a notable individual named Thomas Hanford (1516-1594) gained recognition as a Church of England clergyman and Bishop of Worcester. He played a significant role in the religious and intellectual climate of the time.

In the 17th century, a family of Hanfords migrated to the American colonies, establishing themselves in Connecticut. One of the earliest recorded members of this branch was Thomas Hanford (1611-1694), who served as a magistrate and deputy governor of the Connecticut Colony.

Another prominent figure bearing the Hanford surname was Sir John Hanford (1693-1768), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament. He held influential positions in the legal and political spheres of his time.

Throughout history, the Hanford surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Hanford in Dorset, Hanford in Staffordshire, and Hanford Mere in Shropshire, all of which may have contributed to the surname's evolution and variations in spelling.

It is worth noting that while the Hanford surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora, with individuals bearing this name found in various countries and cultures.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hanford

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

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

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

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