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

Hector, 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 Hector surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hector in America

Hector is the 7572nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hector surname appeared 4,387 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Hector.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hector 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 Hector

The surname HECTOR has its origins in Ancient Greece, where it was derived from the Greek word "ἕκτωρ" (Héktōr), meaning "to hold or to guard". The name was popularized by the legendary Trojan hero Hector, who played a central role in Homer's epic poem, the Iliad, believed to have been written in the 8th century BC.

In medieval times, the name Hector was introduced to Western Europe through the works of classical authors and the Trojan legend. It gained popularity as a personal name, particularly among the nobility and upper classes who sought to emulate the heroic qualities associated with the name.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname HECTOR can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named Hector, holding lands in Lincolnshire, England.

During the Middle Ages, the name HECTOR was also found in various forms, such as Ector, Ector, and Hector, reflecting the regional dialects and spelling variations of the time. These variations were often associated with specific geographical locations or areas where the name was prevalent.

Notable historical figures bearing the surname HECTOR include:

1. Sir Hector de Mares (c. 1240-1301), a Scottish knight and diplomat who served under King Edward I of England.
2. Hector Boece (c. 1465-1536), a Scottish philosopher and historian who wrote the influential work "Historia Gentis Scotorum" (History of the Scottish People).
3. Hector Berlioz (1803-1869), a French Romantic composer and conductor, known for his orchestral works such as the "Symphonie Fantastique".
4. Hector Malot (1830-1907), a French writer best known for his novel "Sans Famille" (Nobody's Boy), which was widely popular in the 19th century.
5. Hector Hugh Munro (1870-1916), better known by his pen name Saki, an English writer renowned for his satirical short stories.

The surname HECTOR has also been associated with various place names and locations throughout history, reflecting the migration and settlement patterns of those bearing the name. For example, the village of Hector in Tompkins County, New York, was named after one of the early settlers, Hector Sexton, in the late 18th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hector

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

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

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

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