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

Humphreys, 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 Humphreys surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Humphreys in America

Humphreys is the 2593rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Humphreys surname appeared 13,895 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Humphreys.

We can also compare 2010 data for Humphreys 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 Humphreys

The surname Humphreys originated in Wales, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It derives from the personal name Humphrey, which was derived from the Old German name Hunfrith, meaning "peaceful journey." The surname likely emerged as a patronymic, indicating "son of Humphrey."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Humphreys can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Humfridus." This suggests the name's presence in England during the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, the surname Humphreys appeared in various forms, such as "Humfrey," "Humfry," and "Humphrey," in medieval records from counties like Gloucestershire, Shropshire, and Staffordshire. These variations reflect the name's evolution over time and across different regions.

Notable historical figures bearing the surname Humphreys include Sir William Humphreys (1619-1689), a Welsh judge and Member of Parliament during the Commonwealth period. Another prominent individual was David Humphreys (1752-1818), an American Revolutionary War colonel and one of George Washington's principal aides-de-camp.

In the literary world, Humphrey Humphreys (1648-1712) was a Welsh clergyman and author who wrote several works on theology and philosophy. Renowned artist Ozias Humphry (1742-1810), born Ozias Humphreys, gained recognition for his portrait paintings during the 18th century.

The name Humphreys has also been associated with various place names, such as Humphreys County in Tennessee, which was named after Parry W. Humphreys, a member of the Tennessee General Assembly in the early 19th century.

Throughout history, the Humphreys surname has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, contributing to various fields and leaving their mark on society. The name's rich heritage and evolution reflect the cultural and linguistic influences that have shaped it over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Humphreys

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

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

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

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