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

Hare, 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 Hare surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hare in America

Hare is the 2236th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hare surname appeared 16,304 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Hare.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hare 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 Hare

The surname HARE is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "hara" which means a hare or a small fur-bearing animal. This name was likely originally given as a nickname to someone who exhibited characteristics reminiscent of a hare, such as swiftness or timidity.

The name is thought to have originated in the 11th century and can be found in early records such as the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Hare" in Essex and Norfolk. The name was also found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273 as "le Hare" in Oxfordshire.

One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing this name was William le Hare, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199. Another early bearer was John Hare, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327.

The name HARE was also associated with several place names in England, such as Hare Hatch in Berkshire and Hare Street in Hertfordshire. These place names may have influenced the spelling and spread of the surname.

Notable individuals with the surname HARE throughout history include Sir Ralph Hare (c. 1496-1563), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Norfolk. Another was Sir Nicholas Hare (1572-1624), a prominent English lawyer and Member of Parliament for Norfolk.

Other notable bearers of the name include John Hare (1844-1921), an English actor and theatre manager, and Augustus J.C. Hare (1834-1903), an English writer and traveler. The English poet and novelist Thomas Hare (1806-1891) was also a notable figure.

Throughout its history, the surname HARE has maintained a strong presence in England, particularly in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex, where it is believed to have originated.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hare

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

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

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

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