2000
#16,400
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,616
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.60
Rare Last name
Hur
A Korean surname derived from the Chinese character 許, meaning "to permit" or "to promise."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,754 Americans carry the last name Hur. That puts it at #12,349 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.80 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 124,457 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hur surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
2.8K
1 in 124,457
Census rank
#12,349
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,402 bearers of the surname Hur in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.80 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12349th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hur, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.9%. The next largest groups are White (4.3%) and Two or More Races (1.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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the earliest known mentions of the name "Hur" can be found in the "Diplomatarium Norvegicum," a collection of Norwegian historical documents dating back to the 12th century.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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hur
Among Census respondents with the surname Hur, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.9%. The next largest groups are White (4.3%) and Two or More Races (1.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Hur bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Hur surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander92.9% · 2,231
- White4.3% · 103
- Two or more races1.3% · 31
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 19
- Black or African American0.7% · 17
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hur
Hur appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#13,759
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,199
+583 bearers (+36.1%)
Per 100,000 0.75
Rank movement Up 2,641 places
2020
#12,349
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,402
+203 bearers (+9.2%)
Per 100,000 0.80
Rank movement Up 1,410 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #16,400 | 1,616 | 0.60 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,759 | 2,199 | 0.75 | +583 bearers (+36.1%) | Up 2,641 places |
| 2020 | #12,349 | 2,402 | 0.80 | +203 bearers (+9.2%) | Up 1,410 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Hur surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #13,759 | #12,349 | 10.2% |
| Count | 2,199 | 2,402 | 9.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.75 | 0.80 | 7.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hur bearers went from 2,199 to 2,402 (+9.2% change). The surname moved up 1,410 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,759 to #12,349.
FAQ
Hur surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hur?
Name Census estimates that about 2,754 living Americans carry the surname Hur. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 124,457 residents.
How common is Hur?
Hur ranks #12,349 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.80 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,402 people with the surname Hur. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,754), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.8 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.80 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Hur.
Has Hur become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hur went from 2,199 recorded bearers to 2,402. That is an increase of 203 (+9.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #13,759 to #12,349.
What does the Census say about the background of Hur?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hur, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.9%. The next largest groups are White (4.3%) and Two or More Races (1.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Hur in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.9% (2,231 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hur appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (92.9%), White (4.3%), Two or More Races (1.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Hur (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Hur mean?
A Korean surname derived from the Chinese character 許, meaning "to permit" or "to promise." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Hur (0.80 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Hur?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Hur on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.