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

Hitt, 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 Hitt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hitt in America

Hitt is the 4567th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hitt surname appeared 7,762 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Hitt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hitt 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 Hitt

The surname HITT originated in England, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 13th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English word "hitt," which means "to hit" or "to strike." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone with a tendency for physical altercations or perhaps a skilled archer or soldier.

HITT is thought to have originated in the county of Wiltshire, where it was particularly prevalent in the medieval period. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a William Hitt as a resident of Wiltshire.

The name HITT also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Wiltshire from 1333, where several individuals bearing the surname are recorded, including John Hitt and Robert Hitt. This suggests that the name had already become established in the region by the 14th century.

In the 16th century, the name HITT is mentioned in the Parish Records of Enford, Wiltshire, where a John Hitt was recorded as having been born in 1562. Another notable early bearer of the name was William Hitt, who was born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, in 1598.

One of the earliest known documented instances of the surname HITT outside of Wiltshire can be found in the Lancashire Wills and Inventories from 1669, which mentions a William Hitt from the town of Colne.

Throughout history, several individuals with the surname HITT have achieved notable recognition. One such individual was Sir William Hitt (1642-1712), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Salisbury during the reign of King William III. Another notable bearer of the name was John Hitt (1735-1808), an American surveyor and soldier who served in the Revolutionary War.

In the 19th century, Robert Hitt (1834-1906) was a prominent American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois for over 20 years. Isaac Hitt (1819-1886) was a Canadian politician and businessman who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.

Additionally, Charles Hitt (1856-1924) was an American architect and engineer who designed several notable buildings in New York City, including the Church of the Covenant and the West End Collegiate Church.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hitt

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

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

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

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