2000
#74,957
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 240
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.09
Very Rare Last name
Higgin
A surname with Anglo-Norman French roots possibly referring to a craftsman or petty officer.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 232 Americans carry the last name Higgin. That puts it at #96,572 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,477,389 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Higgin 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 Higgin with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
232
1 in 1,477,389
Census rank
#96,572
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
202
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 202 bearers of the surname Higgin in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 96572nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Higgin, the largest self-reported group is White at 55.4%. The next largest groups are Black (32.7%) and Hispanic (7.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Higgin
The surname HIGGIN is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English personal name Higga, which was a pet form of the name Hugh. This name was widespread in medieval England and was often used as a nickname or diminutive.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name HIGGIN can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275, where a John Higgin is mentioned. Another early reference is in the Hundred Rolls of Berkshire from 1273, which lists a William Higges.
The name HIGGIN may also have roots in the Old English word "hicce," meaning a small tract of land or a hillock. This could suggest that the name originally referred to someone who lived on or near a small hill or elevated ground.
In the 14th century, variations of the name appeared in various records, such as the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, which lists a Johannes Hygyn, and the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from 1332, which mentions a Richard Higges.
Historically, the HIGGIN surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Lancashire, Cheshire, and Yorkshire, where it was well-established by the 16th century. One notable individual with this surname was William Higgin (1620-1680), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Wigan Parish Church.
Another prominent figure was Sir Thomas Higgin (1776-1844), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and was knighted for his services. He is remembered for his role in the capture of the French frigate Renommée in 1803.
In the 19th century, John Higgin (1810-1885), a British industrialist and inventor, made significant contributions to the development of the cotton spinning industry. He patented several improvements to textile machinery and was a pioneer in the use of ring spinning technology.
Other notable individuals with the surname HIGGIN include John Higgin (1800-1870), a British politician and Member of Parliament for Wigan, and Francis Higgin (1850-1916), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in the North West of England.
While the HIGGIN surname may not be as common today as it once was, its rich history and connections to various regions of England continue to make it an intriguing and significant name with deep roots in the country's past.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Higgin
Among Census respondents with the surname Higgin, the largest self-reported group is White at 55.4%. The next largest groups are Black (32.7%) and Hispanic (7.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Higgin 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 Higgin surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White55.4% · 112
- Black or African American32.7% · 66
- Hispanic or Latino7.4% · 15
- Two or more races3.0% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.5% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Higgin
Higgin 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
#75,799
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 254
+14 bearers (+5.8%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Down 842 places
2020
#96,572
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 202
-52 bearers (-20.5%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Down 20,773 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #74,957 | 240 | 0.09 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #75,799 | 254 | 0.09 | +14 bearers (+5.8%) | Down 842 places |
| 2020 | #96,572 | 202 | 0.07 | -52 bearers (-20.5%) | Down 20,773 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 Higgin 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 | #75,799 | #96,572 | -27.4% |
| Count | 254 | 202 | -20.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.09 | 0.07 | -24.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Higgin bearers went from 254 to 202 (-20.5% change). The surname moved down 20,773 positions in the national ranking, going from #75,799 to #96,572.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Higgin
FAQ
Higgin surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Higgin?
Name Census estimates that about 232 living Americans carry the surname Higgin. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,477,389 residents.
How common is Higgin?
Higgin ranks #96,572 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.07 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 202 people with the surname Higgin. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (232), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.07 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.07 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 Higgin.
Has Higgin become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Higgin went from 254 recorded bearers to 202. That is a decrease of 52 (-20.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #75,799 to #96,572.
What does the Census say about the background of Higgin?
Among Census respondents with the surname Higgin, the largest self-reported group is White at 55.4%. The next largest groups are Black (32.7%) and Hispanic (7.4%). 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 Higgin in the 2020 Census, accounting for 55.4% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Higgin appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (55.4%), Black (32.7%), Hispanic (7.4%). 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 Higgin (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 Higgin mean?
A surname with Anglo-Norman French roots possibly referring to a craftsman or petty officer. 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 Higgin (0.07 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 share the surname Higgin?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.