Hau last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Hau

A Chinese surname meaning "marquis" or "high ranking official," or a German surname derived from a short form of "Hugo."

Hau, 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 Hau surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hau in America

Hau is the 9093rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hau surname appeared 3,592 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 Hau.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hau 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 9093 11680 -24.91%
Count 3,592 2,461 37.37%
Proportion per 100k 1.22 0.91 29.11%

The history of the last name Hau

The surname HAU originates from Germany, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old German word "hau," which means "a blow" or "a stroke." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone known for their strength or physical prowess.

In the 16th century, the surname HAU appeared in various records and manuscripts from the region of Bavaria, particularly in the towns of Augsburg and Munich. One of the earliest documented individuals bearing this surname was Hans Hau, a blacksmith who lived in Augsburg during the mid-1500s.

As the name spread throughout Germany, it also took on variations in spelling, such as Hauw, Haue, and Hauwe, reflecting local dialects and pronunciation differences. Some of these variations were also associated with specific place names, like Hauberg, a small village near Cologne.

One notable historical figure with the surname HAU was Johann Hau, a German philosopher and theologian born in 1658 in Nuremberg. He authored several works on moral philosophy and ethics, including "De Virtutibus Moralibus" (On Moral Virtues), published in 1690.

Another individual of note was Wilhelm Hau, born in 1824 in Berlin. He was a prominent German architect who designed several notable buildings in Berlin and other cities during the late 19th century, including the Reichstag building and the Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral).

In the realm of literature, Theodor Hau, born in 1867 in Hanover, was a renowned German playwright and novelist. His works, such as "Die Königin von Saba" (The Queen of Sheba) and "Das Haus Rabe" (The House of Rabe), explored themes of love, family, and social commentary.

The surname HAU also made its way to other parts of Europe, including Switzerland and Austria. One notable Swiss figure was Heinrich Hau, born in 1892 in Zurich. He was a pioneering mountaineer and explorer who led several expeditions to the Himalayas and was the first person to summit the treacherous peak of Annapurna in 1950.

In Austria, the name HAU was associated with the noble family of Hau von Stetten, who traced their lineage back to the 13th century. They held significant landholdings and political influence in the region of Upper Austria for several centuries.

While these examples provide a glimpse into the historical significance and widespread presence of the surname HAU, it is important to note that the name's origins and evolution continue to be researched and documented by genealogists and historians alike.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hau

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

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 Hau was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 49.33% 1,772
Non-Hispanic Black Only 11.00% 395
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 31.24% 1,122
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.31% 11
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.92% 69
Hispanic Origin 6.21% 223

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 Hau has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 49.33% 47.58% 3.61%
Black 11.00% 11.13% -1.17%
Asian and Pacific Islander 31.24% 34.01% -8.49%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.31% 0.49% -45.00%
Two or More Races 1.92% 2.40% -22.22%
Hispanic 6.21% 4.39% 34.34%

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Hau, 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!

"Hau last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 6, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/hau-surname-popularity/.

"Hau last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/hau-surname-popularity/. Accessed 6 October, 2024

Hau last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/hau-surname-popularity/.

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