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

Hummingbird, 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 Hummingbird surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hummingbird in America

Hummingbird is the 59901st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hummingbird surname appeared 337 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Hummingbird.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hummingbird 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 Hummingbird

The surname Hummingbird is believed to have originated in the British Isles, likely in England, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "humming" and "bird," referring to the small, fast-flying avian species known for the distinctive humming sound produced by its rapidly beating wings.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Hummingbird name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of land holdings and wealth compiled in 1086 on the orders of William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a landowner named Humbert de Columbrid, which is thought to be an early variant spelling of the surname.

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the Hummingbird name was Sir William Hummingbird, a knight who served under King Edward I during the Scottish Wars of Independence. He is recorded as participating in the Battle of Falkirk in 1298.

During the Tudor period, the Hummingbird family established themselves as wealthy landowners in the county of Warwickshire. A prominent member of this branch was Sir Thomas Hummingbird (1512-1578), who served as a member of the Privy Council under Queen Elizabeth I.

The Hummingbird surname also has connections to the small village of Hummingbirdsworth in Derbyshire. Records from the 16th century indicate that several families with this surname resided in the area, suggesting a possible link to a place name as the origin of the surname.

In the 17th century, a notable figure was the English explorer and naturalist John Hummingbird (1632-1702), who is credited with documenting and cataloging numerous species of hummingbirds during his expeditions to the Americas.

Another prominent individual was the English philosopher and writer Mary Hummingbird (1689-1755), whose works explored the concept of natural rights and influenced the development of liberal political thought.

Throughout history, the Hummingbird surname has been associated with various professions, including landowners, military figures, explorers, and intellectuals, reflecting the diverse paths taken by those who bore this distinctive name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hummingbird

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

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

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

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