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

Hixson, 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 Hixson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hixson in America

Hixson is the 5433rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hixson surname appeared 6,408 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 Hixson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hixson 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 Hixson

The surname Hixson is believed to have originated in England, likely during the late medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "hicce," meaning a hick or a yokel, and "sunu," meaning son. The name may have been initially given as a descriptive surname to someone who was perceived as a rustic or unsophisticated person.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Hixson surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire from the year 1327, where a Richard Hyxson is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by the 14th century, though variations in spelling were common during that era.

The Hixson surname is also found in several historical records from the 16th and 17th centuries. For example, a John Hixson is documented in the Protestation Returns of 1641-1642, a survey conducted in England to assess support for the Protestant religion.

In terms of notable individuals bearing the Hixson surname, one of the earliest recorded figures was William Hixson (c. 1610-1690), an English colonist who settled in Virginia in the mid-17th century and became a prominent landowner and planter.

Another notable figure was Reverend Elijah Hixson (1730-1809), an American Baptist minister and missionary who played a significant role in spreading Christianity throughout the Appalachian region of the United States.

In the 19th century, James Hixson (1808-1876) was a prominent American businessman and politician who served as the Mayor of Wheeling, West Virginia, from 1861 to 1863, during the height of the American Civil War.

The Hixson surname also has connections to place names, such as the community of Hixson, located in Hamilton County, Tennessee. This unincorporated town was likely named after one of the early settlers bearing the Hixson surname.

Another notable individual was Mary Hixson (1913-2000), an American artist and educator who was known for her abstract expressionist paintings and taught at several prestigious art schools, including the Art Institute of Chicago.

While the Hixson surname originated in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly through emigration to the United States and other English-speaking countries. However, the name remains relatively uncommon compared to some other English surnames.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hixson

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

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

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

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