2000
#11,388
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,537
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.94
Rare Last name
Hobgood
An English surname derived from a place name meaning "house by a wood" or "house in a wood."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,701 Americans carry the last name Hobgood. That puts it at #12,557 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.79 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 126,899 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hobgood 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
2.7K
1 in 126,899
Census rank
#12,557
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,355 bearers of the surname Hobgood in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.79 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12557th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hobgood, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.4%. The next largest groups are Black (5.6%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hobgood
The surname Hobgood has its origins in England, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from a combination of the Old English words "hob," meaning a male name or someone who walked with a limp, and "good," referring to a personal trait or quality. The name may have initially been used as a descriptive nickname for a person who walked with a limp but possessed good qualities.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Hobgood can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where it appeared as "Hobgode." This early spelling variation suggests that the name was established in the West Midlands region of England during that period.
The Hobgood surname has also been associated with various places in England, particularly in the counties of Worcestershire and Gloucestershire. Some places that may have influenced the name include Hobgoods Farm in Worcestershire and Hobgood's Hill in Gloucestershire.
In the 16th century, the name appeared in parish records and other historical documents. One notable individual was John Hobgood, born in 1525 in Gloucestershire, who was a successful merchant and landowner. Another prominent figure was William Hobgood, born in 1580 in Worcestershire, who served as a magistrate and played a role in local governance.
During the 17th century, the Hobgood surname gained recognition through individuals like Thomas Hobgood, born in 1620 in Gloucestershire, who was a respected clergyman and scholar. Another notable bearer was Mary Hobgood, born in 1665 in Worcestershire, who was a pioneering educator and established one of the earliest schools for girls in the region.
In the 18th century, the Hobgood family continued to make their mark. Samuel Hobgood, born in 1725 in Gloucestershire, was a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings, including St. Mary's Church in his hometown. Additionally, Elizabeth Hobgood, born in 1780 in Worcestershire, was a prominent philanthropist and advocate for social reforms.
As the Hobgood surname spread throughout England, it also found its way to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and exploration. However, the earliest roots and historical references of the name can be traced back to the West Midlands region of England during the Middle Ages.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hobgood
Among Census respondents with the surname Hobgood, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.4%. The next largest groups are Black (5.6%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Hobgood 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 Hobgood surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.4% · 2,034
- Black or African American5.6% · 133
- Two or more races4.0% · 95
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 70
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 16
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hobgood
Hobgood 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
#12,429
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,500
-37 bearers (-1.5%)
Per 100,000 0.85
Rank movement Down 1,041 places
2020
#12,557
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,355
-145 bearers (-5.8%)
Per 100,000 0.79
Rank movement Down 128 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,388 | 2,537 | 0.94 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,429 | 2,500 | 0.85 | -37 bearers (-1.5%) | Down 1,041 places |
| 2020 | #12,557 | 2,355 | 0.79 | -145 bearers (-5.8%) | Down 128 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 Hobgood 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 | #12,429 | #12,557 | -1.0% |
| Count | 2,500 | 2,355 | -5.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.85 | 0.79 | -7.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hobgood bearers went from 2,500 to 2,355 (-5.8% change). The surname moved down 128 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,429 to #12,557.
FAQ
Hobgood surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hobgood?
Name Census estimates that about 2,701 living Americans carry the surname Hobgood. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 126,899 residents.
How common is Hobgood?
Hobgood ranks #12,557 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.79 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 2,355 people with the surname Hobgood. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,701), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.79 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.79 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 Hobgood.
Has Hobgood become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hobgood went from 2,500 recorded bearers to 2,355. That is a decrease of 145 (-5.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #12,429 to #12,557.
What does the Census say about the background of Hobgood?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hobgood, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.4%. The next largest groups are Black (5.6%) and Two or More Races (4.0%). 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 Hobgood in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.4% (2,034 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hobgood appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.4%), Black (5.6%), Two or More Races (4.0%). 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 Hobgood (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 Hobgood mean?
An English surname derived from a place name meaning "house by a wood" or "house in a wood." 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 Hobgood (0.79 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 Americans have the surname Hobgood?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.