Huff
A surname of German origin, derived from a nickname for a person with puffed-out cheeks or who was quick-tempered.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 64,472 Americans carry the last name Huff. That puts it at #612 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 18.81 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 5,316 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Huff surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
64K
1 in 5,316
Census rank
#612
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
18.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
55K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 55,484 bearers of the surname Huff in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 18.81 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 612th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Huff, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.4%. The next largest groups are Black (13.4%) and Hispanic (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Huff
The surname HUFF is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "hoff" or "hof," which referred to a small hill or promontory. It likely emerged as a toponymic surname, given to individuals who lived near or on such a geographic feature.
The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century in various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk. It was often spelled as "Hoff" or "Hoffe" in its early forms.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Roger Huff, mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire in 1273. The Hundred Rolls were a census-like record kept by the English government during the reign of King Edward I.
In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various legal documents and records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Nottinghamshire and the Court Rolls of Sussex, where individuals like John Hoff and William Huff were mentioned.
The name HUFF can also be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive land survey commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This suggests that the name's origins may predate the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.
Notable individuals bearing the HUFF surname throughout history include:
1. William Huff (c. 1630-1706), an English settler in colonial Virginia and a member of the House of Burgesses.
2. Balthasar Huff (1658-1729), a German Pietist theologian and author who served as a pastor in Frankfurt.
3. Joshua Huff (1754-1832), an American Revolutionary War soldier and early settler in Kentucky.
4. John Huff (1801-1856), an English architect known for his work on the Anglican Cathedral in Cape Town, South Africa.
5. Anna Huff (1905-1995), an American artist and painter known for her landscape and still life works.
The name HUFF has also been associated with various place names, such as Huff's Church in Virginia, named after the early settler William Huff, and Huff's Hill in Kentucky, named after Joshua Huff.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Huff
Among Census respondents with the surname Huff, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.4%. The next largest groups are Black (13.4%) and Hispanic (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Huff bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Huff surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.4%
- Black or African American13.4%
- Hispanic or Latino2.1%
- Two or more races1.9%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Huff surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #612 | #612 | 0.0% |
| Count | 55,484 | 55,484 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 18.81 | 18.81 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Huff bearers went from 55,484 to 55,484 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #612 to #612.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Huff
FAQ
Huff surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Huff?
The surname Huff holds position #612 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 64,472 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 18.81 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Huff surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Huff, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.4%. The next largest groups are Black (13.4%) and Hispanic (2.1%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.