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

Hibbs, 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 Hibbs surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hibbs in America

Hibbs is the 6134th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hibbs surname appeared 5,585 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Hibbs.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hibbs 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 Hibbs

The surname Hibbs originates from England and dates back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "hib" or "hibb", meaning a seed or berry. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a berry patch or grew berries. Early variations of the spelling include Hybb, Hibbe, and Hibbes.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1194, which mention a Richard Hib. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 also contain several references to individuals with the surname Hibbs or similar spellings, such as William Hibbe and Adam Hibbes. These records indicate that the name was prevalent in Yorkshire and the surrounding areas during the 13th century.

The Hibbs surname is also found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. However, the specific individuals mentioned in the Domesday Book with this surname are not clearly documented.

In the 16th century, the name Hibbs began to appear in parish records and other historical documents across various regions of England, suggesting its spread beyond Yorkshire. One notable individual from this period was John Hibbs, a merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire, who lived from 1524 to 1598.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, several individuals with the Hibbs surname made their mark in various fields. Robert Hibbs (1619-1684) was an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Clare College, Cambridge. Another notable figure was Elizabeth Hibbs (1677-1721), a Quaker writer and preacher from Pennsylvania, who was one of the earliest published female authors in the American colonies.

In the 19th century, the Hibbs surname gained prominence in both England and the United States. William Hibbs (1801-1878) was an English landscape painter known for his depictions of rural scenes. Meanwhile, in the United States, Henry Hibbs (1807-1886) was a successful businessman and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Kentucky.

Other individuals with the Hibbs surname who left their mark on history include George Hibbs (1876-1945), a Canadian professional ice hockey player and member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, and Gerry Hibbs (1909-1964), an American baseball player and coach who spent several seasons in Major League Baseball.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hibbs

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

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

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

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