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

Hemenway, 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 Hemenway surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hemenway in America

Hemenway is the 11248th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hemenway surname appeared 2,811 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 Hemenway.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hemenway 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 Hemenway

The surname Hemenway has its roots in medieval England, originating in the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "henn" meaning "hen" and "weg" meaning "way" or "path." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a path or road frequented by hens or chickens.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Hemenway name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk from 1273, where it appears as "Henneweye." This variation in spelling was common during that time, as standardized spellings were not yet established. The name also appears in various other medieval records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire in 1332 as "Hennewey."

In the 14th century, the Hemenway name was associated with several landowners and tenants in various parts of England. For instance, a John Hemenway is mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1348. This suggests that the name had already gained some prominence by that time.

Throughout the centuries, the Hemenway name has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest was Sir John Hemenway, a knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War and was recorded as serving under King Edward III in 1346. Another notable figure was William Hemenway, a merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire, who lived in the late 15th century.

In the 17th century, the Hemenway name made its way to the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded instances was Ralph Hemenway, who was born in England in 1610 and arrived in Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1635. He later became a prominent figure in the town of Roxbury and served as a selectman.

Another notable individual was Joshua Hemenway, born in 1678 in Framingham, Massachusetts. He was a prominent farmer and landowner, and his descendants went on to establish themselves in various parts of New England. One of his descendants, Daniel Hemenway, born in 1743, served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.

As the centuries passed, the Hemenway name continued to be associated with various individuals who made significant contributions in various fields. For example, Mary Hemenway, born in 1820 in Vermont, was a prominent philanthropist and advocate for women's education. She founded the Hemenway Exploration Expedition in 1886, which conducted archaeological research in the American Southwest.

In conclusion, the surname Hemenway has a rich history dating back to medieval England, with its origins suggesting a connection to paths or roads frequented by hens or chickens. Over the centuries, the name has been associated with many notable individuals in various fields, from knights and landowners to merchants, farmers, and philanthropists.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hemenway

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

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

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

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