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

Humes, 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 Humes surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Humes in America

Humes is the 5689th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Humes surname appeared 6,093 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Humes.

We can also compare 2010 data for Humes 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 Humes

The surname Humes finds its origins in Scotland, tracing back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "hom," meaning a river meadow or low-lying land. The earliest known bearers of the name were from the region of Berwickshire, situated in the Scottish Borders.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which document a list of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The rolls mention a "William de Hume" from Berwickshire. This suggests that the name was well-established in the region by the late 13th century.

The Humes were a prominent family in Scottish history, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One of the most renowned was Sir Patrick Hume (1641-1724), a Scottish politician and philosopher who played a significant role in the Glorious Revolution of 1688. He was a staunch supporter of the Protestant cause and advocated for religious tolerance in Scotland.

Another notable figure was David Hume (1711-1776), a Scottish philosopher, historian, and essayist who is widely regarded as one of the most influential thinkers of the Scottish Enlightenment. His works, such as "A Treatise of Human Nature" and "An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding," have had a lasting impact on Western philosophy.

The Humes also had a strong presence in the literary world. Alexander Hume (1560-1609) was a renowned Scottish poet and minister, known for his collection of religious poems titled "Hymnes, or Sacred Songs." Similarly, Joseph Hume (1777-1855) was a British politician and writer who advocated for parliamentary reform and the abolition of slavery.

Another prominent figure was Sir Everard Hume (1672-1743), a Scottish military officer who served as Governor of Madras in British India. He played a crucial role in strengthening the British presence in the region and is remembered for his contributions to the expansion of the East India Company's influence.

While the surname Humes has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly to countries with strong Scottish heritage or colonial ties to the British Empire. However, it remains a prominent name in Scotland, where it continues to hold historical significance and cultural relevance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Humes

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

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

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

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