2000
#150,436
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Hawton
A locational surname derived from the village of Hawton in Nottinghamshire, England.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Hawton. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hawton 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 Hawton with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Hawton in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hawton, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.7%) and Black (4.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hawton
The surname HAWTON is of English origin, emerging from the county of Nottinghamshire during the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational surname, derived from the village of Hawton, located near the city of Newark.
The name Hawton itself is thought to originate from the Old English words 'haw' meaning a hedge or enclosure, and 'tun' signifying a farm or settlement. This suggests that the name may have been adopted by individuals who resided near or were associated with a hedged or enclosed settlement in that area.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name HAWTON can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is mentioned as 'Hawtun'. This comprehensive survey of land and property ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror provides valuable insight into the historical significance of the name.
In the 13th century, a notable individual named William de Hawton is mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Nottinghamshire, a legal record of land transactions. This suggests that the HAWTON surname had already established itself as a prominent name in the region by that time.
Another early record of the name comes from the 14th century, where a Thomas Hawton is listed in the Pipe Rolls of Leicestershire, a record of county finances. This indicates that the surname had spread beyond its original location and was present in neighboring counties.
In the 16th century, a prominent figure named John Hawton (1525-1598) was appointed as the Archdeacon of Nottingham, serving in that role for several decades. His tenure and position within the Church of England highlight the prominence and respect associated with the HAWTON name during that era.
Another notable individual with the surname HAWTON was Sir Edward Hawton (1630-1695), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament for the borough of Newark-on-Trent. His political and social influence further solidified the standing of the HAWTON name in the region.
Moving into the 18th century, William Hawton (1720-1785) was a renowned Anglican clergyman and author, known for his published works on theology and religious subjects. His contributions to the literary and academic spheres demonstrate the diverse fields in which individuals bearing the HAWTON surname made their mark.
In the 19th century, Edward Hawton (1810-1876) was a respected architect and surveyor, responsible for designing several notable buildings in the East Midlands region of England. His architectural legacy serves as a testament to the enduring presence and achievements of those carrying the HAWTON name throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hawton
Among Census respondents with the surname Hawton, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.7%) and Black (4.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Hawton 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 Hawton surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.7% · 90
- Two or more races5.7% · 6
- Black or African American4.8% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hawton
Hawton 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
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
+4 bearers (+4.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,608 places
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
+1 bearers (+1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,055 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #150,436 | 100 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+4.0%) | Down 5,608 places |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+1.0%) | Up 3,055 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 Hawton 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 | #156,044 | #152,989 | 2.0% |
| Count | 104 | 105 | 1.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hawton bearers went from 104 to 105 (+1.0% change). The surname moved up 3,055 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #152,989.
FAQ
Hawton surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hawton?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Hawton. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Hawton?
Hawton ranks #152,989 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 105 people with the surname Hawton. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Hawton.
Has Hawton become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hawton went from 104 recorded bearers to 105. That is an increase of 1 (+1.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Hawton?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hawton, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.7%) and Black (4.8%). 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 Hawton in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.7% (90 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hawton appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.7%), Two or More Races (5.7%), Black (4.8%). 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 Hawton (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 Hawton mean?
A locational surname derived from the village of Hawton in Nottinghamshire, England. 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 Hawton (0.04 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 many people are called Hawton?
Want to know how many people are called Hawton? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.