Hawthorne
A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a hedge of hawthorn shrubs.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 19,468 Americans carry the last name Hawthorne. That puts it at #2,167 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 5.68 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 17,606 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hawthorne surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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.
Bearers in the US
19K
1 in 17,606
Census rank
#2,167
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
5.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
17K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 16,758 bearers of the surname Hawthorne in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 5.68 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2167th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hawthorne, the largest self-reported group is White at 57.2%. The next largest groups are Black (36.8%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hawthorne
The surname Hawthorne is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "hæg" meaning hedge and "thorn" meaning a thorny tree or bush. This suggests that the name originally referred to someone who lived near a hawthorn hedge or bush. It is found recorded as early as the 13th century in various spellings such as Hathorne, Haughthorne, and Hawthorn.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William de Hawethorn, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1282. Another early record is that of John Hauthorne, listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379. The Hawthorne surname is also found in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, although the exact spelling varies.
The name Hawthorne has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the most famous is Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864), the renowned American novelist and short story writer known for works such as "The Scarlet Letter" and "The House of the Seven Gables." He was born in Salem, Massachusetts, and his ancestors had settled in the area in the 17th century.
Another notable bearer of the name was William Hawthorne (1742-1809), an English-born American soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War. He served as an officer in the Continental Army and was present at several key battles, including the Battle of Saratoga.
In the 19th century, John Caldwell Calhoun Hawthorne (1825-1899) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States Representative from Missouri. He was also a member of the Confederate Congress during the American Civil War.
The name Hawthorne has also been associated with several places in England, including the village of Hawthorn in County Durham, and the town of Hawthorn in Wiltshire. These place names likely originated from the same Old English roots as the surname, referring to areas where hawthorn bushes grew abundantly.
More recently, Robert Hawthorne (1909-1994) was an American actor and singer who appeared in numerous films and television shows during the mid-20th century. He was known for his roles in westerns and often played characters with the surname Hawthorne.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hawthorne
Among Census respondents with the surname Hawthorne, the largest self-reported group is White at 57.2%. The next largest groups are Black (36.8%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Hawthorne bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Hawthorne surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White57.2%
- Black or African American36.8%
- Hispanic or Latino2.6%
- Two or more races2.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Hawthorne surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,167 | #2,167 | 0.0% |
| Count | 16,758 | 16,758 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 5.68 | 5.68 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Hawthorne bearers went from 16,758 to 16,758 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #2,167 to #2,167.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Hawthorne
FAQ
Hawthorne surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Hawthorne?
The surname Hawthorne holds position #2,167 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 19,468 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 5.68 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Hawthorne surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hawthorne, the largest self-reported group is White at 57.2%. The next largest groups are Black (36.8%) and Hispanic (2.6%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.