2000
#6,957
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,445
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.65
Rare Last name
Huckaby
Americanized form of German Hauckabe, likely an occupational name for a grower or seller of chickweed.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,080 Americans carry the last name Huckaby. That puts it at #7,258 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.48 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 67,471 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Huckaby 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
5.1K
1 in 67,471
Census rank
#7,258
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,430 bearers of the surname Huckaby in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.48 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7258th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Huckaby, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.3%. The next largest groups are Black (13.7%) and Two or More Races (4.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Huckaby
The surname Huckaby is an English name that originated in the medieval era. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "hoc" meaning hook and "by" meaning a settlement or village. This suggests that the name was likely taken from someone who lived in a hooked or curved settlement.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Huckaby can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and wealth commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appeared as "Hockebi" in this historical document, indicating its presence in England during the Norman conquest.
In the 13th century, the name was recorded as "Hokebyg" in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, a survey of landowners and tenants conducted between 1274 and 1279. This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time.
A notable bearer of the Huckaby surname was Sir John Huckaby, a wealthy landowner and knight who lived in the late 14th century. He was known for his involvement in the Hundred Years' War, serving under King Edward III in several campaigns against the French.
During the 16th century, the name appeared to be concentrated in the counties of Warwickshire and Staffordshire, with records showing variations such as "Hockyby" and "Huckeby." One prominent individual from this period was William Huckaby, born in 1532, who served as a magistrate and played a significant role in local governance.
In the 17th century, the name Huckaby was associated with the village of Huckaby in Nottinghamshire, which likely derived its name from the surname itself. This connection suggests that the Huckaby family may have had a strong presence in the area during this time.
Another notable figure was Thomas Huckaby, born in 1678, who was a renowned clockmaker and inventor. His intricate timepieces were highly sought after by the wealthy and influential members of society.
As the centuries progressed, the Huckaby surname continued to be found across various regions of England, with individuals bearing the name making contributions in various fields, including agriculture, business, and the arts.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Huckaby
Among Census respondents with the surname Huckaby, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.3%. The next largest groups are Black (13.7%) and Two or More Races (4.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Huckaby 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 Huckaby surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White77.3% · 3,426
- Black or African American13.7% · 605
- Two or more races4.1% · 180
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 155
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 38
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 26
Timeline
Historical Census data for Huckaby
Huckaby 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
#7,091
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,723
+278 bearers (+6.3%)
Per 100,000 1.60
Rank movement Down 134 places
2020
#7,258
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,430
-293 bearers (-6.2%)
Per 100,000 1.48
Rank movement Down 167 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,957 | 4,445 | 1.65 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,091 | 4,723 | 1.60 | +278 bearers (+6.3%) | Down 134 places |
| 2020 | #7,258 | 4,430 | 1.48 | -293 bearers (-6.2%) | Down 167 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 Huckaby 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 | #7,091 | #7,258 | -2.4% |
| Count | 4,723 | 4,430 | -6.2% |
| Per 100K | 1.60 | 1.48 | -7.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Huckaby bearers went from 4,723 to 4,430 (-6.2% change). The surname moved down 167 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,091 to #7,258.
FAQ
Huckaby surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Huckaby?
Name Census estimates that about 5,080 living Americans carry the surname Huckaby. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 67,471 residents.
How common is Huckaby?
Huckaby ranks #7,258 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.48 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 4,430 people with the surname Huckaby. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,080), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.48 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.48 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 Huckaby.
Has Huckaby become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Huckaby went from 4,723 recorded bearers to 4,430. That is a decrease of 293 (-6.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,091 to #7,258.
What does the Census say about the background of Huckaby?
Among Census respondents with the surname Huckaby, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.3%. The next largest groups are Black (13.7%) and Two or More Races (4.1%). 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 Huckaby in the 2020 Census, accounting for 77.3% (3,426 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Huckaby appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (77.3%), Black (13.7%), Two or More Races (4.1%). 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 Huckaby (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 Huckaby mean?
Americanized form of German Hauckabe, likely an occupational name for a grower or seller of chickweed. 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 Huckaby (1.48 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 last name Huckaby?
Want to know how many people are called Huckaby? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.