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

Hinshaw, 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 Hinshaw surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hinshaw in America

Hinshaw is the 7463rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hinshaw surname appeared 4,466 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 Hinshaw.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hinshaw 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 Hinshaw

The surname Hinshaw has its origins in England, where it first appeared in the 14th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "hine" meaning a servant or farm laborer, and "sceaga" meaning a small wood or shaw. The name likely referred to someone who lived or worked in a small wooded area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Lancashire Inquests of 1311, which mentions a Richard del Hynshagh. This suggests that the name was initially rendered as "Hynshagh" or "Hinshagh" before evolving into its modern form.

The Hinshaw surname is also closely associated with the town of Hinshaw, located in the parish of Whalley in Lancashire, England. This place name may have contributed to the development of the surname, as it was common for people to adopt locational surnames based on the areas they were from.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire in 1523, which lists a Robert Hyndshaw. The Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1524 also mention a John Hynshaw.

One notable bearer of the Hinshaw surname was William Hinshaw, a prominent English merchant and landowner who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was born in 1570 and owned significant property in the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire.

Another individual of note was Thomas Hinshaw, a Puritan minister who lived from 1618 to 1689. He served as a rector in the Church of England and was known for his strong religious convictions.

In the 18th century, the name appears in various parish records across England, including the baptism of John Hinshaw in the town of Burnley, Lancashire, in 1725. Around the same time, a Richard Hinshaw was recorded as a landowner in the nearby village of Habergham Eaves.

As the centuries progressed, the Hinshaw surname continued to be found throughout England, particularly in the northern counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire. Some bearers of the name also migrated to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia.

One significant bearer of the Hinshaw name in more recent history was James Hinshaw, born in 1833 in Pennsylvania. He was a prominent businessman and banker who played a key role in the development of the oil industry in the late 19th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hinshaw

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

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

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

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