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

Hathorn, 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 Hathorn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hathorn in America

Hathorn is the 13713th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hathorn surname appeared 2,207 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Hathorn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hathorn 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 Hathorn

The surname Hathorn has its origins in England, tracing back to the late medieval period. It is likely derived from the Old English words "hæth" meaning a heathland or uncultivated area, and "horn" denoting a small promontory or outcrop of land. This suggests that the name initially referred to a topographical feature, indicating that the earliest bearers of this surname resided near a heathland with a distinctive horn-shaped protrusion.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1297, where it appears as "William de Hathorne." This spelling variation highlights the fluidity of surname spellings during that era, as they often evolved based on local dialects and scribal interpretations.

The name Hathorn is also mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1385, which were legal records documenting property transactions. This suggests that by the 14th century, the surname had become well-established and associated with landholdings in various regions of England.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the Hathorn surname was Sir Christopher Hathorn (c. 1540-1619), an English politician and diplomat who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1589. He was also a member of the Worshipful Company of Drapers, a prominent livery company in the City of London.

Another individual of historical significance was John Hathorn (c. 1610-1670), a colonial magistrate and military leader in Massachusetts Bay Colony. He played a crucial role in the Salem Witch Trials, serving as one of the judges who presided over the examinations and trials of accused witches.

The Hathorn surname also gained prominence in the literary world with the American author Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864), who was a descendant of John Hathorn. Hawthorne's works, such as "The Scarlet Letter" and "The House of the Seven Gables," have become classics of American literature.

In the realm of military service, Colonel Henry Hathorn (1719-1794) distinguished himself during the American Revolutionary War, serving as a member of the New Jersey militia and participating in several key battles, including the Battle of Monmouth.

As the centuries passed, the spelling of the surname evolved, with variations such as Hathorne, Haythorne, and Hawthorn appearing in various records. These changes reflect the influence of local dialects and the gradual standardization of English spelling over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hathorn

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

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

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

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