2000
#8,355
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,641
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.35
Rare Last name
Haws
Derived from Middle English "haw," referring to a person who lived near or worked in a hedged enclosure.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,767 Americans carry the last name Haws. That puts it at #7,679 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.39 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 71,901 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Haws surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Haws with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.8K
1 in 71,901
Census rank
#7,679
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,157 bearers of the surname Haws in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.39 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7679th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Haws, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.3%) and Two or More Races (3.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Haws
The surname HAWS is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word 'haga' meaning a hedge or enclosure. It is a topographic name that originated in the medieval period, referring to someone who lived near a hedge or enclosed area.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name HAWS can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where it is listed as 'de Haga'. This suggests that the name was initially used as a locational surname, indicating someone from a place called Haga or living near a hedge.
In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, the name is recorded as 'Hagh' and 'Haghes', further demonstrating the evolution of the spelling over time. The Suffolk Hearth Tax Rolls of 1674 also include entries for 'Hawes' and 'Haws', indicating the continued use of the name in various forms.
One notable historical figure bearing the surname HAWS was John Haws, a 16th-century English clergyman and author. He was born in 1555 and served as the Rector of Stowmarket in Suffolk. Haws wrote several religious works, including a commentary on the Book of Revelation.
Another notable individual was William Haws, a 17th-century English botanist and gardener. Born in 1626, he is best known for his work at the Chelsea Physic Garden in London, where he served as the head gardener from 1673 until his death in 1689.
In the 18th century, James Haws (1722-1798) was a renowned English clockmaker based in Camberwell, London. His clocks and watches were highly regarded for their quality and craftsmanship.
Moving into the 19th century, John Haws (1797-1867) was a prominent English architect who worked in the Gothic Revival style. He designed several churches and other buildings, including the Church of St. Andrew in Willesden, London.
Lastly, Edward Haws (1846-1919) was a British engineer and inventor who patented several designs for drinking fountains and outdoor water dispensers. His company, the Haws Corporation, continues to manufacture drinking fountains to this day, carrying on his legacy.
While the surname HAWS may have originated from humble beginnings, referring to those living near hedges or enclosures, it has been borne by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Haws
Among Census respondents with the surname Haws, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.3%) and Two or More Races (3.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Haws bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Haws surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.3% · 3,713
- Hispanic or Latino4.3% · 180
- Two or more races3.3% · 137
- Black or African American1.8% · 74
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 29
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 24
Timeline
Historical Census data for Haws
Haws appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#7,992
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,138
+497 bearers (+13.7%)
Per 100,000 1.40
Rank movement Up 363 places
2020
#7,679
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,157
+19 bearers (+0.5%)
Per 100,000 1.39
Rank movement Up 313 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,355 | 3,641 | 1.35 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,992 | 4,138 | 1.40 | +497 bearers (+13.7%) | Up 363 places |
| 2020 | #7,679 | 4,157 | 1.39 | +19 bearers (+0.5%) | Up 313 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Haws surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,992 | #7,679 | 3.9% |
| Count | 4,138 | 4,157 | 0.5% |
| Per 100K | 1.40 | 1.39 | -0.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Haws bearers went from 4,138 to 4,157 (+0.5% change). The surname moved up 313 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,992 to #7,679.
FAQ
Haws surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Haws?
Name Census estimates that about 4,767 living Americans carry the surname Haws. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 71,901 residents.
How common is Haws?
Haws ranks #7,679 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.39 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,157 people with the surname Haws. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,767), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.39 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.39 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Haws.
Has Haws become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Haws went from 4,138 recorded bearers to 4,157. That is an increase of 19 (+0.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #7,992 to #7,679.
What does the Census say about the background of Haws?
Among Census respondents with the surname Haws, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.3%) and Two or More Races (3.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Haws in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.3% (3,713 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Haws appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.3%), Hispanic (4.3%), Two or More Races (3.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Haws (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Haws mean?
Derived from Middle English "haw," referring to a person who lived near or worked in a hedged enclosure. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Haws (1.39 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Haws?
If you just want to know how many Americans have the surname Haws, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.