2000
#11,396
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,536
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.94
Rare Last name
Hodnett
An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó hUidhneadha, meaning "descendant of Uidhneadh," a personal name of unknown meaning.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,902 Americans carry the last name Hodnett. That puts it at #11,826 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.85 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 118,110 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hodnett 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 Hodnett with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.9K
1 in 118,110
Census rank
#11,826
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,531 bearers of the surname Hodnett in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.85 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11826th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hodnett, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.1%. The next largest groups are Black (19.2%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hodnett
The surname Hodnett has its origins in England, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "hod," meaning a hood or a hooded cloak, which was a common garment worn by peasants and laborers. The name likely referred to an occupation or a distinguishing physical characteristic of an early bearer.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hodnett can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from the year 1195, where a William Hodenet is mentioned. Another early reference is in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which lists a Roger Hodenett.
The name Hodnett has several spelling variations throughout history, including Hodnet, Hodenett, Hodenet, and Hoddenott. These variations are often linked to different regions and local dialects within England.
In the 14th century, records show a Robert Hodenett residing in the village of Hodnett, which is now a part of Warwickshire, England. This suggests a possible connection between the surname and the place name, although the exact nature of this relationship is unclear.
Several notable individuals have borne the surname Hodnett throughout history. One of the earliest was Sir John Hodnett (1486-1547), a member of the English gentry and a prominent landowner in Somerset. Another was Edward Hodnett (1628-1692), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Malmesbury.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Hodnett family established itself in Ireland, particularly in the counties of Cork and Tipperary. A notable figure from this period was James Hodnett (1745-1818), an Irish politician and landowner who served as a Member of the Irish House of Commons.
In the 19th century, the name Hodnett gained recognition in the United States. One prominent individual was William Hodnett (1815-1892), an American farmer and politician who served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives.
Another notable Hodnett was Thomas Francis Hodnett (1854-1925), an Irish-born prelate who served as the Bishop of Waterford and Lismore in Ireland from 1905 until his death.
While these are just a few examples, the surname Hodnett has a rich and varied history, spanning multiple countries and centuries. Its origins can be traced back to the 12th century in England, and it has since been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hodnett
Among Census respondents with the surname Hodnett, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.1%. The next largest groups are Black (19.2%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Hodnett 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 Hodnett surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White72.1% · 1,824
- Black or African American19.2% · 485
- Two or more races5.0% · 126
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 85
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 7
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.2% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hodnett
Hodnett 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
#11,960
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,613
+77 bearers (+3.0%)
Per 100,000 0.89
Rank movement Down 564 places
2020
#11,826
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,531
-82 bearers (-3.1%)
Per 100,000 0.85
Rank movement Up 134 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,396 | 2,536 | 0.94 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,960 | 2,613 | 0.89 | +77 bearers (+3.0%) | Down 564 places |
| 2020 | #11,826 | 2,531 | 0.85 | -82 bearers (-3.1%) | Up 134 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 Hodnett 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 | #11,960 | #11,826 | 1.1% |
| Count | 2,613 | 2,531 | -3.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.89 | 0.85 | -4.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hodnett bearers went from 2,613 to 2,531 (-3.1% change). The surname moved up 134 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,960 to #11,826.
FAQ
Hodnett surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hodnett?
Name Census estimates that about 2,902 living Americans carry the surname Hodnett. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 118,110 residents.
How common is Hodnett?
Hodnett ranks #11,826 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.85 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 2,531 people with the surname Hodnett. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,902), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.85 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.85 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 Hodnett.
Has Hodnett become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hodnett went from 2,613 recorded bearers to 2,531. That is a decrease of 82 (-3.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #11,960 to #11,826.
What does the Census say about the background of Hodnett?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hodnett, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.1%. The next largest groups are Black (19.2%) and Two or More Races (5.0%). 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 Hodnett in the 2020 Census, accounting for 72.1% (1,824 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hodnett appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (72.1%), Black (19.2%), Two or More Races (5.0%). 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 Hodnett (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 Hodnett mean?
An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó hUidhneadha, meaning "descendant of Uidhneadh," a personal name of unknown meaning. 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 Hodnett (0.85 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 share the surname Hodnett?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.