Hur last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Hur

A Korean surname derived from the Chinese character 許, meaning "to permit" or "to promise."

Hur, 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 Hur surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hur in America

Hur is the 13759th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hur surname appeared 2,199 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Hur.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hur 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 13759 16400 -17.51%
Count 2,199 1,616 30.56%
Proportion per 100k 0.75 0.60 22.22%

The history of the last name Hur

The surname "Hur" has its origins in Scandinavia, particularly in Sweden and Norway, where it likely emerged during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old Norse word "hǫrr," which means "flax" or "linen." This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals involved in the cultivation or trade of flax, a plant extensively used for making linen fabric.

Some historical records indicate that variations of the name, such as "Hur," "Huur," and "Hure," appeared in Swedish parish records and census documents from the 16th century onwards. In Norway, the name "Hur" was also present in various regions, particularly in the western and central parts of the country.

One of the earliest known mentions of the name "Hur" can be found in the "Diplomatarium Norvegicum," a collection of Norwegian historical documents dating back to the 12th century. This collection includes references to individuals with the surname "Hur" in legal and administrative records.

During the 17th century, the name "Hur" gained prominence in Sweden, with notable individuals such as Peder Hur (1598-1676), a Swedish clergyman and educator who served as a professor at Uppsala University. Another notable figure was Olof Hur (1630-1699), a Swedish merchant and ship owner who played a significant role in the country's maritime trade.

In the 18th century, the name "Hur" was associated with the Swedish noble family of the same name. One of the most prominent members was Carl Gustaf Hur (1734-1809), a Swedish military officer and politician who served as the Governor of Stockholm and later as the Prime Minister of Sweden from 1805 to 1809.

Moving to the 19th century, the name "Hur" gained recognition in Norway, with individuals such as Hans Nilsen Hur (1815-1892), a Norwegian farmer and politician who served in the Storting (the Norwegian parliament) for several terms.

In addition, the name "Hur" has been linked to various place names in Scandinavia, such as Hursund, a village in Sweden, and Hurdalsjøen, a lake in Norway. These place names may have influenced or been influenced by the surname "Hur."

While the surname "Hur" has its roots in Scandinavia, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and intermarriage. However, the historical records and notable individuals mentioned above provide insights into the rich heritage and legacy of this surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hur

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

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 Hur was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 5.55% 122
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 92.00% 2,023
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.27% 28
Hispanic Origin 0.59% 13

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 Hur has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 5.55% 7.18% -25.61%
Black (S)% 1.24% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 92.00% 89.67% 2.57%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 1.27% 1.67% -27.21%
Hispanic 0.59% (S)% (S)%

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

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

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