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

Higginbotham, 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 Higginbotham surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Higginbotham in America

Higginbotham is the 2492nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Higginbotham surname appeared 14,489 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Higginbotham.

We can also compare 2010 data for Higginbotham 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 Higginbotham

The surname Higginbotham has its origins in the county of Lancashire, England, dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "hyccan" meaning "to hitch" or "to hike up," and "botham" which refers to a dwelling or homestead. This suggests that the name likely originated as a descriptive term for someone who lived in a house or settlement on higher ground or at the top of a hill.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name appears in the Lancashire Inquests of 1311, where a Richard de Hykynbotham is listed as a landowner. The spelling variations in historical records include Hikenbotham, Hykynbotham, and Higginbothom, reflecting the evolving pronunciation and written forms over time.

The Higginbotham name can be traced to the township of Higginbotham, located in the parish of Wigan, Lancashire. This place name is believed to have given rise to the surname, as it was common for people to adopt the names of the areas in which they lived or worked.

In the 16th century, a notable figure with the Higginbotham surname was William Higginbotham (c. 1520-1585), an English yeoman and landowner from Lancashire. He is mentioned in various legal documents and property records from the period.

Another notable individual was Thomas Higginbotham (1630-1687), an English Puritan clergyman and author who served as the vicar of Leigh, Lancashire. He wrote several religious works and was known for his nonconformist views.

Crossing the Atlantic, one of the earliest recorded instances of the Higginbotham name in America was Richard Higginbotham (c. 1660-1720), who settled in Pennsylvania in the late 17th century. He was a Quaker and established a successful farm in what is now Chester County.

In the 18th century, John Higginbotham (1738-1824) was a notable figure from Virginia. He served as a Captain in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and later became a prominent landowner and politician in the state.

Another prominent individual was James Higginbotham (1792-1861), an American lawyer and politician from Pennsylvania. He served as a Whig member of the United States House of Representatives from 1849 to 1853.

The Higginbotham surname has a rich history rooted in the English county of Lancashire, originating from a descriptive term related to housing or settlements on higher ground. While its earliest recorded instances date back to the 13th century, the name has been carried by notable individuals across various fields, from clergymen and authors to military officers and politicians, both in England and later in America.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Higginbotham

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

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

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

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