Find out how popular the last name Hires is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Hires.
A surname derived from the Old English word "hir" meaning "hire" or "wages".
Hires, 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 Hires surname is from the 2010 census data.
Hires is the 17691st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Hires surname appeared 1,586 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Hires.
We can also compare 2010 data for Hires 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.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rank | 17691 | 17419 | 1.55% |
Count | 1,586 | 1,493 | 6.04% |
Proportion per 100k | 0.54 | 0.55 | -1.83% |
The surname HIRES is believed to have originated in Germany, specifically in the region of Bavaria, during the medieval period around the 12th or 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Middle High German word "hir," meaning "here," potentially referring to a person who had recently moved to a new location or village.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name HIRES can be found in a document from the year 1287, which mentions a certain "Heinrich Hires" from the town of Augsburg, Bavaria. This document is part of the archives of the city and provides insight into the name's existence during that time period.
In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the name HIRES was Johannes Hires, a prominent merchant and landowner from the town of Regensburg, Bavaria. He was born around 1320 and is mentioned in several records related to trade and property transactions in the region.
The HIRES name also appears in some historical records from the 16th century, such as the birth record of Hans Hires, born in 1542 in the village of Erding, near Munich. This record provides evidence of the name's continued use and spread throughout Bavaria.
During the 17th century, a noteworthy individual with the surname HIRES was Georg Hires, a respected scholar and author who lived in the city of Nuremberg. He was born in 1628 and is known for his works on philosophy and theology, which were widely read and studied during that era.
Another significant figure bearing the name HIRES was Johann Hires, a skilled artisan and master woodcarver who lived in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in the late 18th century. His intricate woodcarvings can still be found adorning various churches and buildings in the region, showcasing his exceptional craftsmanship.
As the HIRES name spread beyond Bavaria, it can also be found in historical records from other parts of Germany, such as the birth record of Friedrich Hires, born in 1801 in the town of Kassel, located in the state of Hesse.
While the surname HIRES is not as common as some other German surnames, it has a rich history and can be traced back to its origins in medieval Bavaria, where it was likely first derived from the Middle High German word "hir."
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Hires.
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:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Hires was:
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
---|---|---|
Non-Hispanic White Only | 79.70% | 1,264 |
Non-Hispanic Black Only | 15.26% | 242 |
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | 1.77% | 28 |
Hispanic Origin | 2.77% | 44 |
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 Hires has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
White | 79.70% | 83.12% | -4.20% |
Black | 15.26% | 13.33% | 13.50% |
Asian and Pacific Islander | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
Two or More Races | 1.77% | 1.21% | 37.58% |
Hispanic | 2.77% | 1.74% | 45.68% |
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 Hires was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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<a href="http://namecensus.com/last-names/hires-surname-popularity/">Hires last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
"Hires last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on June 25, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/hires-surname-popularity/.
"Hires last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/hires-surname-popularity/. Accessed 25 June, 2025
Hires last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/hires-surname-popularity/.
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