2000
#10,538
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,792
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.03
Rare Last name
Heston
Derived from a place name meaning "brushwood-covered farmstead" in Old English, referring to a person who lived there.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,110 Americans carry the last name Heston. That puts it at #11,162 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.91 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 110,210 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Heston 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Heston with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.1K
1 in 110,210
Census rank
#11,162
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,712 bearers of the surname Heston in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.91 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11162nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Heston, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Hispanic (3.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Heston
The surname Heston is of English origin, derived from the village of Heston, located in the London Borough of Hounslow. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English words "hæst" and "tun," meaning "enclosure of a tall, thin man." This suggests that the village may have been associated with a particular individual who was tall and slender.
The earliest recorded mention of the surname Heston can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Hestone." This historical record provides valuable insight into the distribution and prevalence of surnames during the Norman conquest of England.
In the 13th century, the surname Heston appeared in various records, including the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1230, where it was written as "Hestun." This variation in spelling was common during this period, as surnames were still in the process of standardization.
One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Heston was John de Heston, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire in 1332. Another notable individual was William Heston, born around 1540, who was a prominent landowner in the village of Heston during the 16th century.
In the 17th century, the Heston family established themselves in the county of Hertfordshire, where several members held positions of importance. One such individual was Sir John Heston, born in 1625, who served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Hertford.
During the 18th century, the surname Heston gained recognition through the achievements of several notable individuals. Charles Heston, born in 1745, was a renowned British architect responsible for the design of several prominent buildings in London, including the iconic Somerset House.
Another significant figure was Sir Richard Heston, born in 1768, who was a highly respected military officer and served as the Governor of Gibraltar from 1814 to 1819.
As the surname spread across different regions, it also underwent variations in spelling, including Heston, Hestun, and Hestonne. These variations were common until the 19th century, when surnames became more standardized and fixed.
Throughout history, the surname Heston has been associated with various professions and achievements, from landowners and politicians to architects and military officers. While the surname may have originated from a specific location, its bearers have left their mark across various fields and regions, contributing to the rich tapestry of history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Heston
Among Census respondents with the surname Heston, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Hispanic (3.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Heston 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 Heston surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.8% · 2,435
- Two or more races3.6% · 98
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 95
- Black or African American1.7% · 45
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 28
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 11
Timeline
Historical Census data for Heston
Heston 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
#11,146
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,841
+49 bearers (+1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.96
Rank movement Down 608 places
2020
#11,162
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,712
-129 bearers (-4.5%)
Per 100,000 0.91
Rank movement Down 16 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,538 | 2,792 | 1.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,146 | 2,841 | 0.96 | +49 bearers (+1.8%) | Down 608 places |
| 2020 | #11,162 | 2,712 | 0.91 | -129 bearers (-4.5%) | Down 16 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 Heston 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 | #11,146 | #11,162 | -0.1% |
| Count | 2,841 | 2,712 | -4.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.96 | 0.91 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Heston bearers went from 2,841 to 2,712 (-4.5% change). The surname moved down 16 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,146 to #11,162.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Heston
FAQ
Heston surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Heston?
Name Census estimates that about 3,110 living Americans carry the surname Heston. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 110,210 residents.
How common is Heston?
Heston ranks #11,162 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.91 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,712 people with the surname Heston. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,110), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.91 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.91 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Heston.
Has Heston become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Heston went from 2,841 recorded bearers to 2,712. That is a decrease of 129 (-4.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #11,146 to #11,162.
What does the Census say about the background of Heston?
Among Census respondents with the surname Heston, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Hispanic (3.5%). 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 Heston in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.8% (2,435 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Heston appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.8%), Two or More Races (3.6%), Hispanic (3.5%). 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 Heston (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 Heston mean?
Derived from a place name meaning "brushwood-covered farmstead" in Old English, referring to a person who lived there. 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 Heston (0.91 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 are called Heston?
You can see how many Americans have the surname Heston on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.