2000
#131,366
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Humbers
A Germanic surname derived from the Old English words "hune" and "burh", meaning a dwelling place for bees or honeybees.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 141 Americans carry the last name Humbers. That puts it at #139,785 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,430,882 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Humbers 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
141
1 in 2,430,882
Census rank
#139,785
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
123
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 123 bearers of the surname Humbers in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 139785th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Humbers, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.2%. The next largest groups are Black (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Humbers
The surname Humbers is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "humbra," which referred to a dweller by a river or stream. This name likely originated in the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century, in areas near the Humber River in Yorkshire, England.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Humbers can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Yorkshire from 1273, where a person named William de Humbres is mentioned. The prefix "de" in this case indicates a place of origin, suggesting that this individual or their ancestors came from a location near the Humber River.
In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Humbres, Humbre, and Humbyr, reflecting the spelling variations common during that time. These spelling variations likely arose due to the influence of local dialects and the inconsistencies in written records.
The surname Humbers is also associated with several place names in England, such as Humberstone in Leicestershire and Humberston in Lincolnshire. These place names are derived from the same root as the surname, further solidifying the connection between the name and the Humber River region.
One notable individual bearing the surname Humbers was Sir John Humbers, a prominent English merchant and politician who lived during the 15th century. Born around 1420, he served as a Member of Parliament for Grantham and was involved in trade with the Netherlands and other parts of Europe.
Another individual of historical significance was William Humbers, a 17th-century English clergyman and author. Born in 1605, he served as the rector of Greenhill in Yorkshire and published several works, including a treatise on the Book of Psalms.
In the 18th century, John Humbers, born in 1718, was a renowned author and poet from Yorkshire. His works, including a collection of poems titled "The Poetical Works of John Humbers," gained recognition during his lifetime.
The surname Humbers also appeared in historical records related to the American colonies. One example is Joseph Humbers, born in 1765 in Virginia, who served as a soldier during the American Revolutionary War.
Lastly, mention should be made of Elizabeth Humbers, a prominent English educator in the 19th century. Born in 1820, she founded a successful school for girls in London and was recognized for her contributions to the education of women during that era.
These examples illustrate the long-standing presence of the surname Humbers in various regions of England and beyond, reflecting its origins as a name associated with the Humber River and its surrounding areas.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Humbers
Among Census respondents with the surname Humbers, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.2%. The next largest groups are Black (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Humbers 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 Humbers surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White99.2% · 122
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Humbers
Humbers 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
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
-3 bearers (-2.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,783 places
2020
#139,785
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
+7 bearers (+6.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,364 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #131,366 | 119 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.5%) | Down 11,783 places |
| 2020 | #139,785 | 123 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.0%) | Up 3,364 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 Humbers 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 | #143,149 | #139,785 | 2.3% |
| Count | 116 | 123 | 6.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 2.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Humbers bearers went from 116 to 123 (+6.0% change). The surname moved up 3,364 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #139,785.
FAQ
Humbers surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Humbers?
Name Census estimates that about 141 living Americans carry the surname Humbers. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,430,882 residents.
How common is Humbers?
Humbers ranks #139,785 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 123 people with the surname Humbers. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (141), 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 Humbers.
Has Humbers become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Humbers went from 116 recorded bearers to 123. That is an increase of 7 (+6.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #143,149 to #139,785.
What does the Census say about the background of Humbers?
Among Census respondents with the surname Humbers, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.2%. The next largest groups are Black (0.8%). 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 Humbers in the 2020 Census, accounting for 99.2% (122 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Humbers appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (99.2%), Black (0.8%). 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 Humbers (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 Humbers mean?
A Germanic surname derived from the Old English words "hune" and "burh", meaning a dwelling place for bees or honeybees. 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 Humbers (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 Humbers?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.