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

Hough, 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 Hough surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hough in America

Hough is the 2345th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hough surname appeared 15,549 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Hough.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hough 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 Hough

The surname HOUGH is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "hoh," meaning a ridge or hill. It likely originated as a topographic name, given to someone who lived on or near a hill or ridge. The name was first recorded in the 12th century, with early spellings including Hogh, Hoghe, and Hough.

The name HOUGH can be traced back to various regions in England, particularly in Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Cheshire, where many early bearers of the name were found. In the Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, there are references to places with similar names, such as Houghton and Hougham, which may have given rise to the surname.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name HOUGH is found in the Lancashire Pipe Rolls of 1176, which mention a Richard de Hough. Another notable early bearer was John de Hough, who was recorded in the Yorkshire Assize Rolls of 1297.

Over the centuries, the HOUGH surname has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest was Sir Richard Hough (c. 1370-1456), a wealthy English landowner and Member of Parliament for Lancashire during the reigns of Henry IV and Henry V.

Another prominent figure was John Hough (1651-1743), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Worcester and later, the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry. He played a significant role in the Glorious Revolution of 1688.

In the arts, John Hough (1651-1705) was an English composer and musician who served as the organist at the Chapel Royal during the reign of King William III.

The name HOUGH has also been associated with several notable military figures, such as Sir Archibald Hough (1849-1923), a British naval officer and Admiral of the Fleet, and Sir John Hough (1886-1972), a British Army officer who served in both World Wars.

In the realm of literature, John Hough (1917-2003) was an American writer and playwright known for his works including "The Pursuit of Happiness" and "The Lone Pursuer."

While these are just a few examples, the surname HOUGH has a rich history spanning centuries and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, clergymen, artists, military leaders, and writers, among others.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hough

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

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

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

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