2000
#6,876
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,508
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.67
Rare Last name
Hooten
Derived from a place name meaning "hill farm" in Old English, or referring to someone who played the horn.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,015 Americans carry the last name Hooten. That puts it at #7,349 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.46 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 68,346 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hooten 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
5.0K
1 in 68,346
Census rank
#7,349
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,373 bearers of the surname Hooten in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.46 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7349th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hooten, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.2%. The next largest groups are Black (12.9%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hooten
The surname "HOOTEN" is of English origin, with roots dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the village of Hooton, which was situated in the historic county of Cheshire. The name is thought to derive from the Old English word "hoh," meaning "heel" or "ridge," combined with "tun," meaning "town" or "settlement."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Cheshire from 1260, where a Robert de Hoton is mentioned. This early spelling variation, "Hoton," is a testament to the name's evolution over time. Additionally, the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Cheshire from 1327, indicating its widespread use in the region.
In the 16th century, the surname Hooten was well-established in Cheshire and neighboring counties. One notable figure from this period was Richard Hooten, a clergyman and rector of Sefton in Lancashire, who lived between 1550 and 1621.
As the name spread across England, it also took on various spellings, including Houghton, Houtton, and Howton. One of the earliest recorded instances of the "Hooten" spelling can be found in the Hearth Tax Rolls of Cheshire from 1674, which lists a William Hooten as a resident of the area.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, several individuals bearing the Hooten surname made significant contributions. John Hooten (1631-1702) was an English mathematician and astrologer who published works on astronomy and astrology. Meanwhile, Samuel Hooten (1673-1738) was an English clergyman and author who wrote on theological subjects.
In the 19th century, the name continued to spread across England and beyond. One notable figure was John Hooten (1810-1892), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Albert Hall. Another prominent individual was William Hooten (1845-1921), a British businessman and politician who served as a member of parliament for Nottingham.
Throughout history, the Hooten surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including academics, clergy, artists, and politicians. While the name may have originated in a small village in Cheshire, its legacy has extended far beyond its humble beginnings, reflecting the rich tapestry of English history and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hooten
Among Census respondents with the surname Hooten, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.2%. The next largest groups are Black (12.9%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Hooten 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 Hooten surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White78.2% · 3,418
- Black or African American12.9% · 565
- Two or more races4.6% · 201
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 122
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 40
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 27
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hooten
Hooten 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
#7,048
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,751
+243 bearers (+5.4%)
Per 100,000 1.61
Rank movement Down 172 places
2020
#7,349
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,373
-378 bearers (-8.0%)
Per 100,000 1.46
Rank movement Down 301 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,876 | 4,508 | 1.67 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,048 | 4,751 | 1.61 | +243 bearers (+5.4%) | Down 172 places |
| 2020 | #7,349 | 4,373 | 1.46 | -378 bearers (-8.0%) | Down 301 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 Hooten 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 | #7,048 | #7,349 | -4.3% |
| Count | 4,751 | 4,373 | -8.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.61 | 1.46 | -9.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hooten bearers went from 4,751 to 4,373 (-8.0% change). The surname moved down 301 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,048 to #7,349.
FAQ
Hooten surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hooten?
Name Census estimates that about 5,015 living Americans carry the surname Hooten. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 68,346 residents.
How common is Hooten?
Hooten ranks #7,349 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.46 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 4,373 people with the surname Hooten. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,015), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.46 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.46 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 Hooten.
Has Hooten become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hooten went from 4,751 recorded bearers to 4,373. That is a decrease of 378 (-8.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,048 to #7,349.
What does the Census say about the background of Hooten?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hooten, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.2%. The next largest groups are Black (12.9%) and Two or More Races (4.6%). 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 Hooten in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.2% (3,418 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hooten appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (78.2%), Black (12.9%), Two or More Races (4.6%). 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 Hooten (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 Hooten mean?
Derived from a place name meaning "hill farm" in Old English, or referring to someone who played the horn. 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 Hooten (1.46 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 are called Hooten?
Want to know how many people have the last name Hooten? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.