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

Hankerson, 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 Hankerson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hankerson in America

Hankerson is the 12170th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hankerson surname appeared 2,561 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 Hankerson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hankerson 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 Hankerson

The surname Hankerson is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English words "hana" meaning "rooster" and "hers" meaning "grove" or "wooded area." This suggests that the name may have been a locational surname, referring to a person who lived near a wooded area where roosters were kept.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hankerson can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1273, where a person named Willelmus de Hannokershoure is mentioned. This spelling variation, "Hannokershoure," provides insight into the evolution of the name over time.

During the 13th century, the name Hankerson was concentrated primarily in the counties of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and Herefordshire in the West Midlands region of England. It is possible that the name originated in one of these areas and later spread to other parts of the country.

In the 14th century, the surname Hankerson appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, where a person named John Hankerson was recorded as a taxpayer in the year 1327. This early record suggests that the spelling of the name had stabilized by this point.

One notable figure in history who bore the surname Hankerson was Sir Thomas Hankerson (1520-1589), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was known for his support of the Church of England and his opposition to Catholic influence in the country.

Another individual of note was Reverend William Hankerson (1635-1701), a Puritan minister who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Warwick, England. He was a prominent figure in the local community and was known for his passionate sermons and strict adherence to Puritan principles.

In the 18th century, the Hankerson family produced a notable military figure, Captain John Hankerson (1745-1812), who served in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War. He was present at several key battles, including the Battle of Bunker Hill and the Siege of Yorktown.

During the Victorian era, the name Hankerson was associated with the industrial revolution in England. Robert Hankerson (1810-1878) was a successful textile manufacturer in Manchester, known for his innovative techniques and fair treatment of his workers.

Another notable figure from this period was Mary Hankerson (1841-1912), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded one of the first schools for girls in London and worked tirelessly to promote equal educational opportunities for women.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hankerson

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

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

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

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