2010
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Houey
A variant spelling of the French surname Huet, possibly derived from the Germanic root "hūd" meaning hide or skin.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Houey. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Houey 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
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Houey in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Houey, the largest self-reported group is Black at 65.5%. The next largest groups are White (30.2%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Houey
The surname Houey is believed to have originated in England, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is thought to have been derived from the Old English words "hoh" and "ey," which together translate to "high island" or "high ground surrounded by water." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived on an elevated piece of land near a body of water, such as a river or a lake.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Houey can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings and tenants in England compiled in 1086 under the orders of William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a person with the surname Houey residing in the county of Oxfordshire.
During the 13th century, historical records indicate the presence of a family with the surname Houey in the village of Houey, located in the county of Kent. This village is believed to have been named after the family, further solidifying the connection between the name and its geographical origins.
In the 14th century, a notable figure named John Houey (born c. 1310, died c. 1378) was a prominent landowner and merchant in the city of London. His legacy includes the establishment of a charitable fund that provided support for impoverished residents of the city.
Another individual of note was Sir William Houey (born c. 1420, died c. 1498), a knight who served under King Henry VI during the Wars of the Roses. He was known for his bravery in battle and was granted lands in the county of Warwickshire for his loyalty to the crown.
In the 16th century, a woman named Elizabeth Houey (born c. 1550, died c. 1622) gained recognition as a skilled herbalist and healer. She authored a book titled "The Herbal Remedies of Elizabeth Houey," which documented her extensive knowledge of medicinal plants and their uses.
During the 17th century, the name Houey was also found in variations such as Houey, Howey, and Howie, reflecting the various spellings that emerged over time.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Houey
Among Census respondents with the surname Houey, the largest self-reported group is Black at 65.5%. The next largest groups are White (30.2%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Houey 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 Houey surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American65.5% · 76
- White30.2% · 35
- Two or more races3.4% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Houey
Houey appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+13 bearers (+12.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 12,206 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | +13 bearers (+12.6%) | Up 12,206 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 Houey 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 | #157,234 | #145,028 | 7.8% |
| Count | 103 | 116 | 12.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 29.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Houey bearers went from 103 to 116 (+12.6% change). The surname moved up 12,206 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #145,028.
FAQ
Houey surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Houey?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Houey. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Houey?
Houey ranks #145,028 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 116 people with the surname Houey. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Houey.
Has Houey become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Houey went from 103 recorded bearers to 116. That is an increase of 13 (+12.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Houey?
Among Census respondents with the surname Houey, the largest self-reported group is Black at 65.5%. The next largest groups are White (30.2%) and Two or More Races (3.4%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Houey in the 2020 Census, accounting for 65.5% (76 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Houey appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (65.5%), White (30.2%), Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Houey (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 Houey mean?
A variant spelling of the French surname Huet, possibly derived from the Germanic root "hūd" meaning hide or skin. 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 Houey (0.04 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 Houey?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.