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

Hawes, 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 Hawes surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hawes in America

Hawes is the 3590th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hawes surname appeared 9,908 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Hawes.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hawes 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 Hawes

The surname Hawes originated in England and is thought to have derived from the Old English word 'haw', meaning a hedge, or from the plural form 'hawes', which refers to small plots of land enclosed by hedges. It is believed to have been initially used as a topographic name for someone who lived near a hedge or hedged enclosure.

The earliest known record of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as 'Hawa' and 'Hawe'. This suggests that the name was already in use by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

During the Middle Ages, the name was often spelled in various ways, including 'Hawe', 'Hawys', 'Hause', and 'Haws'. These variations reflect the regional dialects and the lack of standardized spelling at the time.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Sir John Hawes, a 14th-century English knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War. He was born around 1330 and served under King Edward III.

In the 16th century, Stephen Hawes (c. 1475 - 1523) was a notable English poet and playwright. He is best known for his allegorical works, such as 'The Pastime of Pleasure' and 'The Example of Virtue'.

Another notable figure was Sir James Hawes (1594 - 1661), an English politician and Member of Parliament during the reign of Charles I. He played a significant role in the English Civil War, initially supporting the Royalist cause before switching sides to the Parliamentarians.

In the 18th century, William Hawes (1736 - 1808) was a renowned English painter and engraver. He is particularly known for his portraits and historical paintings, which were highly acclaimed during his lifetime.

In the 19th century, Benjamin Hawes (1797 - 1862) was an English architect and civil engineer who designed several notable buildings, including the Euston Arch in London.

Throughout history, the surname Hawes has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Hawes in North Yorkshire and Hawes in Derbyshire, which may have contributed to the name's origin and widespread use.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hawes

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

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

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

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