2000
#124,872
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Hestilow
A surname anglicized from an unknown foreign original.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Hestilow. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hestilow 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Hestilow in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hestilow, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.4%) and Black (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hestilow
The surname HESTILOW is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Lincolnshire, during the 14th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "hæst" meaning "violent" or "impetuous" and "hlaw" meaning "hill" or "mound." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived on or near a prominent hill or mound that was known for its rugged terrain or exposed location.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the HESTILOW surname can be found in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1349, where a certain "Willelmus de Hestylhawe" is mentioned. This spelling variation, "Hestylhawe," is likely a precursor to the modern form of the name and provides insight into its early evolution.
The HESTILOW name is also mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Ingoldmells in Lincolnshire, dating back to the late 15th century. These records document a "John Hestylow" who was involved in a land dispute in the year 1487.
During the 16th century, the HESTILOW surname began to spread beyond Lincolnshire, with records indicating its presence in other parts of England. One notable individual was Robert HESTILOW, a merchant and landowner from the village of Ashby Puerorum in Lincolnshire, who was born in 1542 and passed away in 1612.
In the 17th century, a branch of the HESTILOW family settled in the county of Nottinghamshire. Here, we find records of a certain William HESTILOW, born in 1628, who was a prominent farmer and landowner in the village of Sutton-on-Trent.
As the centuries progressed, the HESTILOW name continued to be found across various regions of England, with notable individuals including:
1. Thomas HESTILOW (1745-1823), a renowned clockmaker from the city of York.
2. Elizabeth HESTILOW (1771-1844), an author and poet from the village of Spalding in Lincolnshire.
3. John HESTILOW (1802-1879), a renowned artist and landscape painter from the city of Lincoln.
4. William HESTILOW (1829-1901), a successful businessman and philanthropist from the town of Grantham in Lincolnshire.
5. Mary HESTILOW (1860-1941), a prominent educator and headmistress of a girls' school in the city of Nottingham.
While the HESTILOW surname may not be as common today as it once was, its long and rich history spans several centuries and encompasses individuals from various walks of life, each contributing to the tapestry of English heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hestilow
Among Census respondents with the surname Hestilow, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.4%) and Black (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Hestilow 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 Hestilow surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.3% · 102
- Hispanic or Latino4.4% · 5
- Black or African American1.8% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hestilow
Hestilow appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#141,140
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-9 bearers (-7.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 16,268 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-5 bearers (-4.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,081 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #124,872 | 127 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #141,140 | 118 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.1%) | Down 16,268 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-4.2%) | Down 6,081 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 Hestilow 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 | #141,140 | #147,221 | -4.3% |
| Count | 118 | 113 | -4.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hestilow bearers went from 118 to 113 (-4.2% change). The surname moved down 6,081 positions in the national ranking, going from #141,140 to #147,221.
FAQ
Hestilow surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hestilow?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Hestilow. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Hestilow?
Hestilow ranks #147,221 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 113 people with the surname Hestilow. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), 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 Hestilow.
Has Hestilow become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hestilow went from 118 recorded bearers to 113. That is a decrease of 5 (-4.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #141,140 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Hestilow?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hestilow, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.4%) and Black (1.8%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Hestilow in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.3% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hestilow appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.3%), Hispanic (4.4%), Black (1.8%). 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 Hestilow (2000, 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 Hestilow mean?
A surname anglicized from an unknown foreign original. 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 Hestilow (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 last name Hestilow?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Hestilow on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.