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

Honea, 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 Honea surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Honea in America

Honea is the 10145th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Honea surname appeared 3,179 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Honea.

We can also compare 2010 data for Honea 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 Honea

The surname Honea has its origins in the British Isles, with roots tracing back to medieval England and Scotland. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a place name or geographical feature. One theory suggests that the name is a variant of Honiton, a town in Devon, England. Another possibility is that it stems from the Old English word "hone," which means a rocky outcrop or hill.

During the Middle Ages, the Honea surname first appeared in various historical records, such as the Domesday Book of 1086, compiled by William the Conqueror. This ancient manuscript mentions individuals bearing similar spellings like Honyton and Honiton, which could be ancestors of the modern Honea family.

The earliest documented instances of the Honea surname can be found in the 14th and 15th centuries. One notable example is John Honea, a merchant from Coventry, England, who was mentioned in the city's guild records in 1432. Another early bearer of the name was William Honea, a landowner in the Scottish Highlands, recorded in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1478.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Honea surname. One such figure was Sir Thomas Honea (1612-1681), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Devonshire during the reign of Charles II. In the field of literature, there was James Honea (1718-1798), a Scottish poet and playwright whose works explored themes of rural life and folklore.

In the realm of exploration and discovery, Captain John Honea (1765-1836) was a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and participated in several significant battles. Another noteworthy individual was Elizabeth Honea (1802-1878), an American educator and advocate for women's rights, who established one of the first schools for girls in the state of Virginia.

Across the Atlantic, the Honea surname also took root in the United States, particularly in the southern states. One prominent figure was General William Honea (1822-1897), a Confederate soldier during the American Civil War, who later became a successful businessman and philanthropist in his home state of Georgia.

While the Honea surname has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, such as Honnea, Honnay, and Honay, its core meaning and historical significance have endured, reflecting the rich tapestry of cultural heritage and diverse origins that have shaped this distinctive family name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Honea

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

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

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

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