2000
#129,619
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Hulls
An English surname derived from the word "hull", referring to someone living near a hill.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Hulls. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hulls 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 Hulls with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Hulls in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hulls, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.3%) and Black (5.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hulls
The surname HULLS has its origins in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "hyll," meaning a hill or a mound, suggesting that the name was initially given to someone who lived near or on a hill.
During the Middle Ages, the name appeared in various historical records, including the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. In this record, the name was spelled as "Hille" and referred to several individuals living in various parts of the country.
As the English language evolved, the spelling of the name underwent several changes, with variations such as "Hilles," "Hylls," and eventually "HULLS" becoming more common. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the scribes who recorded the names.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname HULLS can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the late 12th century, where a person named Radulfus de Hullis (Ralph of the Hills) was mentioned. This suggests that the name may have originated as a place name or a descriptive identifier for someone living near or on a hill.
In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the surname HULLS was Sir John HULLS, a prominent landowner and knight who served as a Member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire in 1362. He played a significant role in local affairs and held several positions of authority.
Another notable individual with the surname HULLS was Thomas HULLS (c. 1570 - c. 1630), an English navigator and explorer who was involved in several expeditions to North America in the early 17th century. He is credited with being one of the first Europeans to explore and map parts of the Newfoundland coast.
During the 17th century, the surname HULLS also gained prominence in the literary world with the work of Jonathan HULLS (1616 - 1690), an English clergyman and author. He was known for his religious writings and published several books, including "The Spiritual Mustard-Pot" and "The Humble Sinner's Guide."
In the 18th century, a notable figure bearing the surname HULLS was John HULLS (1711 - 1792), an English mathematician and inventor. He is credited with developing one of the earliest designs for a steam-powered boat, which he patented in 1737, predating the work of other inventors in this field.
Another prominent individual with the surname HULLS was William HULLS (1798 - 1879), a British engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of early steam-powered engines and machinery. He held several patents and was recognized for his innovative designs and improvements in industrial machinery.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hulls
Among Census respondents with the surname Hulls, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.3%) and Black (5.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Hulls 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 Hulls surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White78.0% · 92
- Two or more races9.3% · 11
- Black or African American5.1% · 6
- Hispanic or Latino5.1% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.5% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hulls
Hulls 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
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
-21 bearers (-17.4%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 31,356 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+18 bearers (+18.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 17,464 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #129,619 | 121 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | -21 bearers (-17.4%) | Down 31,356 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +18 bearers (+18.0%) | Up 17,464 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 Hulls 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 | #160,975 | #143,511 | 10.8% |
| Count | 100 | 118 | 18.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 31.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hulls bearers went from 100 to 118 (+18.0% change). The surname moved up 17,464 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #143,511.
FAQ
Hulls surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hulls?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Hulls. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Hulls?
Hulls ranks #143,511 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 118 people with the surname Hulls. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), 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 Hulls.
Has Hulls become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hulls went from 100 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 18 (+18.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Hulls?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hulls, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.3%) and Black (5.1%). 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 Hulls in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.0% (92 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hulls appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (78.0%), Two or More Races (9.3%), Black (5.1%). 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 Hulls (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 Hulls mean?
An English surname derived from the word "hull", referring to someone living near a hill. 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 Hulls (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 Americans have the surname Hulls?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.