2000
#3,187
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,324
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.83
Uncommon Last name
Hardwick
From an English place name meaning "livestock farm in a hard enclosure," referring to a farm with sturdy fencing.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 11,714 Americans carry the last name Hardwick. That puts it at #3,415 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.42 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 29,260 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hardwick 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 Hardwick with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
12K
1 in 29,260
Census rank
#3,415
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
10K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,215 bearers of the surname Hardwick in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.42 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3415th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hardwick, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.1%. The next largest groups are Black (18.2%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hardwick
The surname Hardwick has its origins in England, emerging during the medieval period. It is a locational name, derived from the place name Hardwick, which is found in several counties across the country. The name Hardwick itself is composed of two Old English words, "heard" meaning hardy or robust, and "wic" meaning a farm or dwelling place, suggesting the name may have initially referred to a hardy or well-fortified farm or settlement.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Hardwick can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Hardewic" and "Hardewica." This historical record provides valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of the name during the Norman conquest of England.
In the 13th century, the surname Hardwick is documented in various records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1230, where a Robert de Hardwyk is mentioned. Another early reference is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275, which lists a John de Hardewyk.
Several notable individuals throughout history have borne the surname Hardwick. One of the most prominent is Elizabeth Hardwick (1516-1608), also known as Bess of Hardwick, who was a wealthy English noblewoman and builder of notable estates like Hardwick Hall and Chatsworth House. Another significant figure is Thomas Hardwick (1752-1829), an English architect who designed several notable buildings, including St. Mary's Church in Nottingham and the Royal Pavilion in Brighton.
Other notable individuals include Charles Hardwick (1817-1889), an English clergyman and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of insects, and Philip Hardwick (1792-1870), an English architect responsible for designing several important buildings, such as Euston Station in London and the Hall of the Skinners' Company.
The surname Hardwick has also been associated with various place names throughout England. For instance, the village of Hardwick in Oxfordshire is recorded in the Domesday Book as "Herdewic," while the village of Hardwick in Cambridgeshire appears as "Hardeuuic" in the same historical record.
Overall, the surname Hardwick has a rich history rooted in the medieval period of England, with its origins reflecting the rugged and fortified nature of early settlements. Its presence in historical records and association with notable individuals and places further solidify its significance within the annals of English surnames.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hardwick
Among Census respondents with the surname Hardwick, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.1%. The next largest groups are Black (18.2%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Hardwick 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 Hardwick surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White73.1% · 7,467
- Black or African American18.2% · 1,858
- Two or more races4.3% · 437
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 290
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 98
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 65
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hardwick
Hardwick 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
#3,310
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,841
+517 bearers (+5.0%)
Per 100,000 3.68
Rank movement Down 123 places
2020
#3,415
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,215
-626 bearers (-5.8%)
Per 100,000 3.42
Rank movement Down 105 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,187 | 10,324 | 3.83 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,310 | 10,841 | 3.68 | +517 bearers (+5.0%) | Down 123 places |
| 2020 | #3,415 | 10,215 | 3.42 | -626 bearers (-5.8%) | Down 105 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 Hardwick 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 | #3,310 | #3,415 | -3.2% |
| Count | 10,841 | 10,215 | -5.8% |
| Per 100K | 3.68 | 3.42 | -7.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hardwick bearers went from 10,841 to 10,215 (-5.8% change). The surname moved down 105 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,310 to #3,415.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Hardwick
FAQ
Hardwick surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hardwick?
Name Census estimates that about 11,714 living Americans carry the surname Hardwick. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 29,260 residents.
How common is Hardwick?
Hardwick ranks #3,415 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.42 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,215 people with the surname Hardwick. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (11,714), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.42 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.42 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Hardwick.
Has Hardwick become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hardwick went from 10,841 recorded bearers to 10,215. That is a decrease of 626 (-5.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #3,310 to #3,415.
What does the Census say about the background of Hardwick?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hardwick, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.1%. The next largest groups are Black (18.2%) and Two or More Races (4.3%). 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 Hardwick in the 2020 Census, accounting for 73.1% (7,467 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hardwick appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (73.1%), Black (18.2%), Two or More Races (4.3%). 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 Hardwick (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 Hardwick mean?
From an English place name meaning "livestock farm in a hard enclosure," referring to a farm with sturdy fencing. 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 Hardwick (3.42 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 are called Hardwick?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Hardwick on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.