2000
#143,847
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Higday
An archaic English locational surname derived from a place meaning "high day" or "high meadow".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Higday. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Higday 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
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Higday in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Higday, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Higday
The surname HIGDAY is of English origin, with roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from a locational name, possibly derived from a place called Higday or a similar spelling variation.
One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Higedai." This entry suggests that the name was present during the Norman Conquest of England and may have been associated with a landowner or notable individual at that time.
During the 13th century, the surname HIGDAY began to appear in various records and manuscripts across England. In 1276, a man named William Higday was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire, indicating the presence of the name in that region.
In the 14th century, the HIGDAY surname was associated with several notable individuals. John Higday, born in 1312, was a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of York. His son, Robert Higday (1345-1418), served as a member of the city council and was known for his involvement in local affairs.
As the centuries progressed, the HIGDAY name continued to be documented in various regions of England. In the 16th century, a family with the surname Higday resided in the village of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. This branch of the family was known for their involvement in the local pottery industry.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the HIGDAY surname in literature can be found in the works of the renowned playwright William Shakespeare. In his play "Henry IV, Part 1," written around 1597, a character named Higday is briefly mentioned, suggesting that the name was familiar to audiences of the time.
Another notable individual with the HIGDAY surname was Sir Thomas Higday (1620-1689), a prominent military officer who served in the English Civil War. He fought for the Royalist cause and was knighted for his bravery on the battlefield.
In the 18th century, the HIGDAY name was associated with several prominent figures in the field of academia. Christopher Higday (1701-1778) was a renowned scholar and author who published several works on philosophy and theology. His contemporary, Elizabeth Higday (1712-1792), was a renowned poet and playwright whose works gained widespread acclaim during her lifetime.
As the HIGDAY surname spread throughout England and beyond, it underwent various spelling variations, including Higdey, Higdeigh, and Higgday. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and scribal errors in historical records.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Higday
Among Census respondents with the surname Higday, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Higday 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 Higday surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.3% · 93
- Hispanic or Latino4.6% · 5
- Two or more races4.6% · 5
- Black or African American3.7% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Higday
Higday 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
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+4 bearers (+3.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,548 places
2020
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 810 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #143,847 | 106 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.8%) | Down 5,548 places |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 810 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 Higday 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 | #149,395 | #150,205 | -0.5% |
| Count | 110 | 109 | -0.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Higday bearers went from 110 to 109 (-0.9% change). The surname moved down 810 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #150,205.
FAQ
Higday surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Higday?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Higday. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Higday?
Higday ranks #150,205 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 109 people with the surname Higday. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), 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 Higday.
Has Higday become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Higday went from 110 recorded bearers to 109. That is a decrease of 1 (-0.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #149,395 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Higday?
Among Census respondents with the surname Higday, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Two or More Races (4.6%). 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 Higday in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.3% (93 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Higday appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.3%), Hispanic (4.6%), Two or More Races (4.6%). 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 Higday (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 Higday mean?
An archaic English locational surname derived from a place meaning "high day" or "high meadow". 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 Higday (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 surname Higday?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.