2000
#114,166
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 142
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Hoyd
An occupational surname derived from the Middle English word "herd" or "herd-man", referring to a herdsman or shepherd.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Hoyd. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hoyd 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 Hoyd with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Hoyd in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hoyd, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.7%. The next largest groups are Black (13.4%) and Hispanic (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hoyd
The surname "HOYD" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locative name, derived from a place name referring to a "hoid" or "hoyd," which was an old English word meaning a hill or a small wooded valley.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a person named Alwin de Hoide is listed as a landowner in Cambridgeshire. This suggests that the name was already established in parts of England by the late 11th century.
In the 13th century, records show the name spelled in various ways, such as "Hoyde," "Hoyede," and "Hoidde." These variations likely reflect regional differences in pronunciation and spelling practices at the time.
By the 14th century, the surname had spread to other parts of England, with notable individuals bearing the name including John Hoyd, a merchant from Bristol who was recorded in the city's records in 1327.
One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Sir Thomas Hoyd (c. 1350-1410), a knight and landowner from Shropshire. He served as a Member of Parliament and was involved in the Glyndŵr Rising, a series of conflicts between the Welsh and the English in the early 15th century.
Another notable figure was William Hoyd (c. 1480-1547), a wealthy merchant and alderman in the city of London. He was a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers and served as the Sheriff of London in 1532.
In the 16th century, the surname was also found in parts of Scotland, with records showing a John Hoyd born in Aberdeen in 1568. He later became a prominent figure in the local church and served as a minister in the Scottish Presbyterian tradition.
As the centuries passed, the surname continued to be found across various regions of Britain, with some individuals achieving notable status. For example, Richard Hoyd (1738-1825) was a successful businessman and landowner in Warwickshire, while James Hoyd (1802-1878) was a noted author and journalist who wrote extensively on social and political issues of his time.
Throughout its history, the surname "HOYD" has maintained a strong connection to its English roots, reflecting the diverse landscapes and communities from which it originated. While the name may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation over time, it remains a testament to the rich tapestry of Britain's linguistic and cultural heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hoyd
Among Census respondents with the surname Hoyd, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.7%. The next largest groups are Black (13.4%) and Hispanic (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Hoyd 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 Hoyd surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White80.7% · 96
- Black or African American13.4% · 16
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hoyd
Hoyd 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
#124,548
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 138
-4 bearers (-2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 10,382 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
-19 bearers (-13.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 18,240 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #114,166 | 142 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #124,548 | 138 | 0.05 | -4 bearers (-2.8%) | Down 10,382 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | -19 bearers (-13.8%) | Down 18,240 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 Hoyd 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 | #124,548 | #142,788 | -14.6% |
| Count | 138 | 119 | -13.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -20.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hoyd bearers went from 138 to 119 (-13.8% change). The surname moved down 18,240 positions in the national ranking, going from #124,548 to #142,788.
FAQ
Hoyd surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hoyd?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Hoyd. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Hoyd?
Hoyd ranks #142,788 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 119 people with the surname Hoyd. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), 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 Hoyd.
Has Hoyd become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hoyd went from 138 recorded bearers to 119. That is a decrease of 19 (-13.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #124,548 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Hoyd?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hoyd, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.7%. The next largest groups are Black (13.4%) and Hispanic (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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Hoyd in the 2020 Census, accounting for 80.7% (96 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hoyd appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (80.7%), Black (13.4%), Hispanic (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 Hoyd (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 Hoyd mean?
An occupational surname derived from the Middle English word "herd" or "herd-man", referring to a herdsman or shepherd. 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 Hoyd (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 people have the surname Hoyd?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.