2000
#133,114
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Hirshon
A Jewish surname derived from the German word "Hirsch" meaning deer or stag.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Hirshon. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hirshon 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Hirshon in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hirshon, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hirshon
The surname Hirshon is believed to have originated in Eastern Europe, specifically in the regions of modern-day Poland and Ukraine. It is considered a Jewish surname, derived from the Hebrew name Hirsh, which means "deer" or "stag."
The earliest recorded instances of the name Hirshon can be traced back to the 17th century in various Jewish communities across Poland and Ukraine. It is likely that the name was initially adopted as a descriptive surname, referring to someone who possessed qualities associated with a deer, such as agility, speed, or grace.
One of the earliest records of the name Hirshon can be found in the Pinkas Kahal, a communal record book maintained by Jewish communities in Poland during the 17th and 18th centuries. The Pinkas Kahal documented important events, transactions, and decisions within these communities, providing valuable insights into the lives of individuals and families at the time.
In the late 18th century, the name Hirshon gained prominence with the birth of Rabbi Yitzchak Hirshon (1753-1828), a renowned Talmudic scholar and author from the town of Biała Rawska, located in central Poland. His works, including commentaries on the Talmud and other Jewish texts, were widely studied and contributed to the dissemination of the Hirshon name.
Another notable figure bearing the Hirshon surname was Abraham Hirshon (1857-1938), a prominent Jewish businessman and philanthropist from Łódź, Poland. Hirshon played a significant role in the development of the textile industry in Łódź and was known for his philanthropic endeavors, particularly in supporting educational initiatives for Jewish youth.
In the 19th century, the name Hirshon also found its way to the United States, as many Jewish families from Eastern Europe immigrated to America in search of better opportunities. One such individual was Meyer Hirshon (1876-1965), a successful entrepreneur who established a successful business in the garment industry in New York City.
As the Hirshon family spread across different regions, variations in the spelling of the surname emerged, including Hirshhorn, Hirshorn, and Hirschorn. These variations were often the result of transliterations from Hebrew or adaptations to local languages and customs.
Throughout its history, the surname Hirshon has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, making significant contributions to their respective fields and communities. While the name may have evolved over time, its origins as a Jewish surname rooted in Eastern Europe remain a central part of its legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hirshon
Among Census respondents with the surname Hirshon, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Hirshon 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 Hirshon surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.5% · 99
- Two or more races3.7% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino1.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hirshon
Hirshon 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
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+3 bearers (+2.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,114 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-13 bearers (-10.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,411 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #133,114 | 117 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.6%) | Down 6,114 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -13 bearers (-10.8%) | Down 12,411 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 Hirshon 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 | #139,228 | #151,639 | -8.9% |
| Count | 120 | 107 | -10.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hirshon bearers went from 120 to 107 (-10.8% change). The surname moved down 12,411 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #151,639.
FAQ
Hirshon surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hirshon?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Hirshon. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Hirshon?
Hirshon ranks #151,639 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 107 people with the surname Hirshon. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), 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 Hirshon.
Has Hirshon become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hirshon went from 120 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 13 (-10.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Hirshon?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hirshon, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Hispanic (1.9%). 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 Hirshon in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.5% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hirshon appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.5%), Two or More Races (3.7%), Hispanic (1.9%). 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 Hirshon (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 Hirshon mean?
A Jewish surname derived from the German word "Hirsch" meaning deer or stag. 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 Hirshon (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 are called Hirshon?
If you just want to know how many people are called Hirshon, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.