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

Hattaway, 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 Hattaway surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hattaway in America

Hattaway is the 15883rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hattaway surname appeared 1,831 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 Hattaway.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hattaway 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 Hattaway

The surname Hattaway originated in England, deriving from the Old English words "hæt" and "weg," which collectively translate to "the road traveler" or "the journey person." This name likely emerged in the 12th or 13th century, during the height of medieval England.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical documents, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Hatewy." This spelling variation highlights the fluidity of surname spellings in the early days of their usage.

Hattaway is also closely linked to the ancient village of Hattaway in Somerset, England. It is believed that some of the earliest bearers of the name hailed from this area, with the surname potentially originating as a locational name referring to residents of Hattaway.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Hattaway was John Hattaway, born in 1540 in Somerset. He was a prominent landowner and farmer, and his descendants continued to reside in the area for several generations.

In the 17th century, the Hattaway name gained further prominence with the birth of William Hattaway (1620-1691), a renowned English theologian and author who wrote extensively on religious matters.

Another notable figure was Sir John Hattaway (1727-1801), a British military officer who served with distinction in the American Revolutionary War. He was knighted for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.

During the 19th century, the Hattaway family established itself in various parts of the United Kingdom, including London, where William Hattaway (1808-1881) became a successful merchant and philanthropist, known for his contributions to the city's development.

In more recent times, the Hattaway name has been carried by individuals such as Elizabeth Hattaway (1915-2003), a pioneering British aviator and one of the first women to obtain a commercial pilot's license in the United Kingdom.

Throughout its history, the surname Hattaway has maintained a strong connection to its English roots, with its origins rooted in the medieval era and its bearers leaving their mark across various fields, from religion and military service to business and aviation.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hattaway

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!