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

Hedges, 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 Hedges surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hedges in America

Hedges is the 3690th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hedges surname appeared 9,625 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Hedges.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hedges 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 Hedges

The surname HEDGES is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "hege," which means "hedge" or "enclosure." It emerged as a toponymic surname, indicating that the original bearers of the name lived near a hedge or lived in an area surrounded by hedges.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname HEDGES can be traced back to the 13th century in various parts of England, particularly in counties such as Essex, Hertfordshire, and Kent. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 mention a John de la Hegge, while the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296 list a Walter atte Hegge.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landholdings and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several references to places with names derived from the Old English word "hege," suggesting that the surname HEDGES may have emerged from these locations.

One notable individual with the surname HEDGES was Sir John Hedges (1629-1704), an English diplomat and politician who served as the Governor of the East India Company's settlements in Bengal from 1682 to 1684. He later became a member of the British Parliament, representing the constituency of Malmesbury.

Another prominent figure was Sir Charles Hedges (1693-1772), an English judge who served as a Justice of the Court of King's Bench from 1735 until his death. He was also a member of the Privy Council and played a significant role in legal affairs during the reign of King George II.

In the realm of literature, the surname HEDGES is associated with Sir Charles Hedges (1846-1926), an English writer, and journalist who authored several books on historical and literary subjects, including "Diary of Walter Yonge, Esq." and "The Rector of Veilstone."

The surname HEDGES can also be found in the United States, where many English immigrants settled in the 17th and 18th centuries. One notable American bearing this surname was Charles Hedges (1797-1865), a lawyer and politician from Maine who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1835 to 1837.

Another American with the surname HEDGES was Cornelius Hedges (1808-1889), a lawyer and politician from Montana who served as a member of the Montana Territorial Legislature in the 1860s and later became a District Judge.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hedges

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

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

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

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