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

Hannah, 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 Hannah surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hannah in America

Hannah is the 1779th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hannah surname appeared 20,138 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Hannah.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hannah 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 Hannah

The surname Hannah originated from the Hebrew language and culture. It is believed to have derived from the Hebrew name Channah, which means "grace" or "favor." The name Hannah can be traced back to the biblical figure Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel, who is mentioned in the Book of Samuel in the Old Testament.

Hannah was a popular name among the Jewish community in ancient times, and it gradually spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. The earliest recorded instances of Hannah as a surname can be found in medieval Europe, particularly in England and Germany.

In England, the surname Hannah is thought to have emerged during the Norman Conquest in the 11th century. It is believed that the name was brought to England by Jewish immigrants or Norman settlers who had adopted the name from their interactions with the Jewish community in France or other parts of Europe.

One of the earliest recorded references to the surname Hannah can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, dated around 1195, where a person named Robert Hannah is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also contain entries of individuals with the surname Hannah.

In Germany, the surname Hannah has a long history dating back to the 13th century. It is associated with the Jewish communities in various cities, such as Frankfurt and Berlin. One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Hannah was Jacob Hannah, a merchant who lived in Frankfurt in the late 13th century.

Over the centuries, the surname Hannah has been associated with several notable individuals. One prominent example is Hannah Arendt (1906-1975), a German-born American political philosopher and author, whose works explored the nature of totalitarianism and the human condition.

Another significant figure with the surname Hannah was John Hannah (1918-2009), a Scottish actor and writer best known for his roles in films such as "The Elephant Man" and "Sliding Doors."

Other notable individuals with the surname Hannah include:

1. William Hannah (1833-1888), an American politician and lawyer who served as a U.S. Representative from Indiana.
2. Walter Hannah (1885-1967), a Canadian politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Canadian House of Commons.
3. Kathleen Hannah (1949-present), an American musician and feminist activist, known as the lead singer of the punk rock band Bikini Kill.
4. Ian Hannah (1950-present), a Scottish professional golfer who won the British Masters in 1975.
5. David Hannah (1936-2018), an American actor and director, best known for his work in television series such as "The Rockford Files" and "Barney Miller."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hannah

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

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

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

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