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

Hatchet, 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 Hatchet surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hatchet in America

Hatchet is the 74375th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hatchet surname appeared 260 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Hatchet.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hatchet 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 Hatchet

The surname Hatchet is of English origin, emerging in the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "hachet," which referred to the hand tool used for chopping wood or as a weapon. The name likely originated as an occupational surname for someone who made or used hatchets, or it could have been a nickname for a person with a hatchet-like facial feature.

The earliest recorded instance of the Hatchet surname dates back to 1273 in the Hundred Rolls of Gloucestershire, where a Robert Hachett is mentioned. Another early reference is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, listing a Ralph Hachet.

In the 14th century, variations of the name appeared, such as Hachet, Hacchet, and Hatchett. These variations were often used interchangeably, reflecting regional dialects and spelling conventions of the time.

One notable bearer of the Hatchet surname was Sir William Hatchett (c. 1500 – 1589), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

The Hatchet family had a presence in several English counties, including Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Sussex. Some early place names associated with the surname include Hatchet Green in Essex and Hatchett Farm in Somerset.

In the 16th century, John Hatchett (c. 1530 – 1597) was a notable English clergyman and scholar who served as the Archdeacon of Richmond and later became the Bishop of Salisbury.

Another prominent figure with the Hatchet surname was Sir John Hatchett (1693 – 1768), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the 18th century and participated in several battles against the French and Spanish fleets.

The Hatchet name also appears in the early history of colonial America. Thomas Hatchett (c. 1620 – 1670) was among the first English settlers in Virginia, arriving in the 1640s and establishing a plantation in what is now Henrico County.

While the surname Hatchet is not as common today as it was in its earlier history, it remains a part of the English surname landscape, carrying the legacy of its occupational and descriptive origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hatchet

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

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

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

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