2000
#135,837
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Happs
A surname of English origin likely derived from a place name or occupational term.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Happs. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Happs 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Happs with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Happs in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Happs, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.3%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Happs
The surname Happs is of English origin, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated in the county of Yorkshire, specifically in the village of Hepworth. The name is thought to be a locational surname, derived from the Old English words "hæpp" or "hæpas," which refer to a small enclosed area or enclosure.
In the Domesday Book, a record of land holdings compiled in 1086, there are several entries that mention variations of the name, such as "Hepeword" and "Heppeworth." These entries suggest that the name was already well-established in the region during the Norman conquest of England.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Happs surname dates back to 1273, when a John de Heppeworth was mentioned in the Yorkshire Assize Rolls. This record provides evidence of the name's evolution from its Old English roots to a more recognizable modern form.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, several individuals bearing the Happs surname were noted in various historical documents. For instance, William Happs, born around 1310, was a landowner in the village of Hepworth and appears in local records from that time.
In the 16th century, the name gained prominence with the birth of Sir Richard Happs (1522-1589), a prominent English politician and member of Parliament. He played a significant role in the religious and political turmoil of the Tudor period.
Another notable figure was Thomas Happs (1634-1701), a renowned English clergyman and scholar who served as the Dean of Worcester Cathedral. He was highly regarded for his theological writings and contributions to the Church of England.
In the 18th century, the surname Happs was associated with the family of Robert Happs (1719-1786), a successful merchant and landowner in Yorkshire. His descendants continued to hold influential positions in the region for several generations.
One of the most famous individuals with the Happs surname was Sir James Happs (1822-1903), a British explorer and naturalist. He gained recognition for his expeditions to South America and his work in documenting the flora and fauna of the Amazon rainforest.
Throughout its history, the Happs surname has undergone various spelling variations, such as Heppworth, Hepworth, Hepworthy, and Heppers, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal practices of different eras.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Happs
Among Census respondents with the surname Happs, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.3%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Happs 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 Happs surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.3% · 101
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.8% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Happs
Happs 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
#137,327
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
+8 bearers (+7.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,490 places
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-16 bearers (-13.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,012 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #135,837 | 114 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #137,327 | 122 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+7.0%) | Down 1,490 places |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | -16 bearers (-13.1%) | Down 15,012 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 Happs 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 | #137,327 | #152,339 | -10.9% |
| Count | 122 | 106 | -13.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Happs bearers went from 122 to 106 (-13.1% change). The surname moved down 15,012 positions in the national ranking, going from #137,327 to #152,339.
FAQ
Happs surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Happs?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Happs. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Happs?
Happs ranks #152,339 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 106 people with the surname Happs. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), 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 Happs.
Has Happs become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Happs went from 122 recorded bearers to 106. That is a decrease of 16 (-13.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #137,327 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Happs?
Among Census respondents with the surname Happs, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.3%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%) and Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Happs in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.3% (101 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Happs appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.3%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%), Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Happs (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 Happs mean?
A surname of English origin likely derived from a place name or occupational term. 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 Happs (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 Americans have the surname Happs?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.