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

Head, 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 Head surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Head in America

Head is the 1285th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Head surname appeared 27,292 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 9 people would have the surname Head.

We can also compare 2010 data for Head 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 Head

The surname Head is an English name that originated as a topographic name for someone who lived at the head or source of a stream or river, or at the end of a valley, hill or clearing. It is derived from the Old English word 'heafod', which means head.

Head is an ancient surname that can be traced back to the 12th century. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1191, where a Simon atte Heade is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also list a Robert atte Hede in Oxfordshire.

The surname Head is found in various early records and manuscripts, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, which mention a William Heed. The Huntingdonshire Feet of Fines from 1304 also list a Robert del Hede.

The Domesday Book, a great survey of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Head. However, it does mention several places with names that could have given rise to the surname, such as Hedborough in Nottinghamshire and Headon in Lincolnshire.

Some notable individuals with the surname Head throughout history include:

1. Sir Francis Head (1793-1875), a British army officer and author who served as Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada from 1835 to 1838.

2. Berten A. Head (1835-1901), an American soldier and politician who served as a Confederate general during the American Civil War.

3. Edith Head (1897-1981), an American costume designer who won a record eight Academy Awards for Best Costume Design.

4. Howard Head (1914-1991), an American inventor and entrepreneur who founded the Head Ski Company and revolutionized the design of skis and tennis rackets.

5. Murray Head (born 1946), an English actor and singer best known for his role as Bob Benson in the film "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and for recording the hit song "One Night in Bangkok" from the musical "Chess".

The surname Head has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Headley in Hampshire, Headington in Oxfordshire, and Headcorn in Kent, reflecting its topographic origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Head

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

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

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

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