2000
#12,891
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,189
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.81
Rare Last name
Hitch
An English topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a gate or entrance.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,346 Americans carry the last name Hitch. That puts it at #14,094 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.68 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 146,102 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hitch 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 Hitch with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.3K
1 in 146,102
Census rank
#14,094
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,046 bearers of the surname Hitch in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.68 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14094th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hitch, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.6%. The next largest groups are Black (7.5%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hitch
The surname Hitch originated in England sometime during the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "hicce," which referred to a hitch or a catch used for securing objects. This suggests that the name may have originally been an occupational surname for someone who made or worked with hitches or latches.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Hitch can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Hicche." This document was a census conducted in England during the reign of King Edward I, and it provides a valuable record of surnames in use at that time.
In the 14th century, the surname Hitch appeared in various records from the county of Hertfordshire, particularly in the areas around the towns of St. Albans and Watford. This suggests that the name may have originated or been concentrated in this region.
The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Hitch. However, it does mention several place names that may have influenced the development of this surname, such as Hitchin in Hertfordshire and Hitcham in Suffolk.
One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Hitch was William Hitch, who was born around 1490 in Hertfordshire. He was a landowner and farmer, and his family is believed to have been prominent in the local community.
Another notable figure with the surname Hitch was Sir Ralph Hitch (c. 1520-1588), a wealthy merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1568. He was instrumental in establishing trade relations between England and the Netherlands during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
In the 17th century, the surname Hitch appeared in the records of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, indicating that some individuals with this name had emigrated to the American colonies from England. One such individual was Robert Hitch (1633-1692), who settled in Boston and became a successful merchant and landowner.
During the 18th century, the surname Hitch became associated with the village of Hitchin, which had developed into a center for brewing and malting. Several prominent families with the surname Hitch were involved in this industry, including the Hitch family of Brewers Hill in Hitchin.
Another notable figure with the surname Hitch was Sir Benjamin Hitch (1744-1821), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. He rose to the rank of Admiral and was knighted for his distinguished service.
Overall, the surname Hitch has a long and varied history, with roots stretching back to medieval England. While it may have originated as an occupational surname, it has since been associated with various regions, industries, and notable individuals throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hitch
Among Census respondents with the surname Hitch, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.6%. The next largest groups are Black (7.5%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Hitch 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 Hitch surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.6% · 1,772
- Black or African American7.5% · 154
- Two or more races2.6% · 53
- Hispanic or Latino2.2% · 44
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 16
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hitch
Hitch 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
#13,477
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,256
+67 bearers (+3.1%)
Per 100,000 0.76
Rank movement Down 586 places
2020
#14,094
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,046
-210 bearers (-9.3%)
Per 100,000 0.68
Rank movement Down 617 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,891 | 2,189 | 0.81 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,477 | 2,256 | 0.76 | +67 bearers (+3.1%) | Down 586 places |
| 2020 | #14,094 | 2,046 | 0.68 | -210 bearers (-9.3%) | Down 617 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 Hitch 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 | #13,477 | #14,094 | -4.6% |
| Count | 2,256 | 2,046 | -9.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.76 | 0.68 | -9.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hitch bearers went from 2,256 to 2,046 (-9.3% change). The surname moved down 617 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,477 to #14,094.
FAQ
Hitch surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hitch?
Name Census estimates that about 2,346 living Americans carry the surname Hitch. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 146,102 residents.
How common is Hitch?
Hitch ranks #14,094 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.68 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,046 people with the surname Hitch. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,346), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.68 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.68 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Hitch.
Has Hitch become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hitch went from 2,256 recorded bearers to 2,046. That is a decrease of 210 (-9.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #13,477 to #14,094.
What does the Census say about the background of Hitch?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hitch, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.6%. The next largest groups are Black (7.5%) and Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Hitch in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.6% (1,772 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hitch appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.6%), Black (7.5%), Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Hitch (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 Hitch mean?
An English topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a gate or entrance. 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 Hitch (0.68 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 have the surname Hitch?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.