2010
#147,253
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Hearnes
An English surname derived from a Middle English word meaning "heron" or "egret".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Hearnes. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hearnes 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.
Bearers in the US
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Hearnes in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hearnes, the largest self-reported group is Black at 58.5%. The next largest groups are White (32.1%) and Two or More Races (8.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hearnes
The surname Hearnes is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the village of Herne, located in Kent, southeast England. The name Herne is thought to have originated from the Old English words "hyrne" or "herne," meaning "corner" or "angle," possibly referring to the location's geographical position.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Hearnes can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Herne." This historical record, commissioned by William the Conqueror, provides valuable insights into the distribution of surnames across England during the Norman conquest.
In the 13th century, records show the name spelled as "Hernes" and "Herneys," suggesting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling. During this time, place names were commonly adopted as surnames, and the Hearnes surname likely emerged as a way to identify individuals from the village of Herne or its surrounding areas.
Notable historical figures bearing the surname Hearnes include Sir John Hearnes (1535-1612), a prominent English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Kent during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I. Another notable figure was William Hearnes (1688-1745), an English clergyman and scholar who contributed to the study of antiquities and ancient manuscripts.
In the 16th century, records indicate that the Hearnes family had established themselves in various parts of Kent, with some branches migrating to neighboring counties like Sussex and Surrey. The surname also appears in parish records from this period, often spelled as "Hearnes" or "Hernes."
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Hearnes surname gained further prominence, with individuals like Thomas Hearnes (1678-1735), an English antiquarian and scholar who made significant contributions to the preservation of historical manuscripts and records. Another notable figure was Samuel Hearnes (1720-1792), a renowned English engraver and printmaker renowned for his intricate landscapes and portraits.
Throughout its history, the surname Hearnes has been associated with various occupations, including landowners, clergymen, scholars, and artisans. While the name has evolved in spelling over time, its origins can be traced back to the medieval village of Herne in Kent, reflecting the rich tapestry of English surnames and their connections to geographical locations.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hearnes
Among Census respondents with the surname Hearnes, the largest self-reported group is Black at 58.5%. The next largest groups are White (32.1%) and Two or More Races (8.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Hearnes 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 Hearnes surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American58.5% · 62
- White32.1% · 34
- Two or more races8.5% · 9
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hearnes
Hearnes appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-6 bearers (-5.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,086 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #147,253 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.4%) | Down 5,086 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 Hearnes 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 | #147,253 | #152,339 | -3.5% |
| Count | 112 | 106 | -5.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hearnes bearers went from 112 to 106 (-5.4% change). The surname moved down 5,086 positions in the national ranking, going from #147,253 to #152,339.
FAQ
Hearnes surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hearnes?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Hearnes. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Hearnes?
Hearnes ranks #152,339 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 106 people with the surname Hearnes. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), 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 Hearnes.
Has Hearnes become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hearnes went from 112 recorded bearers to 106. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #147,253 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Hearnes?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hearnes, the largest self-reported group is Black at 58.5%. The next largest groups are White (32.1%) and Two or More Races (8.5%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Hearnes in the 2020 Census, accounting for 58.5% (62 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hearnes appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (58.5%), White (32.1%), Two or More Races (8.5%). 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 Hearnes (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 Hearnes mean?
An English surname derived from a Middle English word meaning "heron" or "egret". 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 Hearnes (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 have the surname Hearnes?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.