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

Hun, 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 Hun surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hun in America

Hun is the 35993rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hun surname appeared 623 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 Hun.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hun 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 Hun

The surname Hun originates from Hungary, a country located in Central Europe. It likely derives from the Old Hungarian word 'hun', which means 'Hun' and refers to the nomadic people who established a powerful empire in Europe during the 4th and 5th centuries AD.

The earliest recorded instances of the Hun surname can be traced back to the 13th century in medieval Hungarian records and manuscripts. One notable mention is in the Rationes Decimarum Papae, a papal tithe register from 1332-1337, which lists several individuals with the surname Hun residing in various Hungarian villages.

During the Middle Ages, the Hun name was particularly prevalent in the regions of Transdanubia and the Great Hungarian Plain, areas historically inhabited by the Magyar tribes who migrated to the Carpathian Basin in the 9th century AD. It is possible that some families adopted the Hun surname to signify their connection to these ancient Magyar roots or to the legendary Hun warriors who once controlled vast territories across Europe.

In the 16th century, a prominent Hungarian nobleman named János Hun (1510-1572) served as a military captain and fought against the Ottoman Empire's expansion into Hungary. His bravery and leadership during the Siege of Eger in 1552 earned him significant recognition and likely contributed to the surname's prestige.

Another historical figure bearing the Hun name was the 17th-century Hungarian poet and writer, Péter Hun (1637-1694), who authored several religious and educational works during his lifetime. His most notable publication was a Latin grammar book titled "Novissima Grammatica Ungarica" (The Newest Hungarian Grammar), published in 1693.

In the 19th century, the Hun surname gained further recognition through the work of Hungarian historian and archivist, János Hun (1819-1888). He was a pioneering figure in the field of Hungarian archival studies and played a crucial role in preserving and organizing the country's historical records.

While the Hun surname has its roots in Hungary, it has also spread to other parts of Europe and the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, it remains most closely associated with its Hungarian origins and the rich cultural and historical legacy of the Magyar people.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hun

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

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

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

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