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

Hoyt, 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 Hoyt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hoyt in America

Hoyt is the 1701st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hoyt surname appeared 21,169 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Hoyt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hoyt 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 Hoyt

The surname Hoyt is of English origin and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "hoh," meaning heel or ridge, and was likely used as a topographic name for someone who lived on or near a ridge.

The name was first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appeared as "Hoiet" and "Hoiete." This early form suggests that the name was initially pronounced with a softer vowel sound, closer to the modern pronunciation of "Hoit."

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records as "Hoit," "Hoyt," and "Hoytt." The spelling "Hoyt" became more prevalent by the 16th century, indicating a shift towards the modern form.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was John Hoyt, who was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1275. Another notable early bearer of the name was Sir Walter Hoyt, a member of the English gentry who lived in the late 14th century.

During the 17th century, several Hoyts were among the early Puritan settlers of New England. Simon Hoyt, born around 1590 in England, was one of the founders of Windsor, Connecticut, and his descendants went on to settle in various parts of the American colonies.

Another famous bearer of the name was Ralph Hoyt (1636-1689), a prominent merchant and landowner in Salisbury, Massachusetts. His son, John Hoyt (1672-1744), was a notable figure in the early history of Connecticut, serving as a judge and legislator.

In the 18th century, Samuel Hoyt (1737-1803) was a distinguished American jurist and politician who served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and as a judge in New York.

The name Hoyt has also been associated with several notable authors and artists, such as Henry Hoyt (1831-1905), an American poet and journalist, and Charles Hoyt (1859-1900), a popular American playwright and actor.

Throughout its history, the surname Hoyt has undergone various spelling variations, including Hoit, Hoyet, Hoyett, and Hoit, reflecting the fluidity of surname spellings in earlier times. However, the modern spelling "Hoyt" has become the most widely accepted form.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hoyt

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

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

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

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