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

Heflin, 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 Heflin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Heflin in America

Heflin is the 4660th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Heflin surname appeared 7,609 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 Heflin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Heflin 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 Heflin

The surname Heflin is believed to have originated in England, and it likely dates back to the medieval period. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "hæfen" and "lind," which together mean "dweller by the lime tree." This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name may have lived near a lime tree or in an area where lime trees were abundant.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Hevelinde." This entry indicates that the name was already in use by the late 11th century, though the spelling may have varied over time.

In the 13th century, records show a Henry de Heuelyn living in Lincolnshire, England. This spelling variation provides further evidence of the name's evolution throughout the centuries.

By the 14th century, the name had taken on a more recognizable form, as seen in the case of John Hevelyn, who was born in Yorkshire around 1320. This suggests that the spelling had stabilized to some degree by this time.

In the 16th century, the name gained prominence with the birth of John Heflin (1543-1610), a notable English merchant and landowner. His success helped establish the Heflin name as a respected family lineage.

Other notable individuals with the surname Heflin include:

1. Robert Heflin (1674-1738), an English clergyman and scholar.
2. William Heflin (1763-1842), an American farmer and soldier who fought in the Revolutionary War.
3. Mary Heflin (1819-1894), an American educator and author known for her work in women's education.
4. Van Heflin (1910-1971), an American actor who received an Academy Award nomination for his role in the film "Johnny Eager."
5. Howell Heflin (1921-2005), an American politician who served as a U.S. Senator from Alabama for nearly two decades.

These examples demonstrate the widespread presence of the Heflin surname throughout history, with bearers hailing from various walks of life and achieving notable accomplishments in their respective fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Heflin

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

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

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

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