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

Hurdle, 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 Hurdle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hurdle in America

Hurdle is the 12440th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hurdle surname appeared 2,497 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 Hurdle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hurdle 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 Hurdle

The surname Hurdle is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "hyrdel," which means "a portable fence or gate used for enclosing livestock." This word eventually evolved into the modern English word "hurdle."

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Hurdle can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, dating back to 1273. This document mentions a person named John Hurdel. Another early reference is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1332, where a Richard Hurdel is listed.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name Hurdle was primarily concentrated in the counties of Norfolk, Sussex, and Kent in England. It is believed that the name originated as an occupational surname for someone who made or worked with hurdles, which were used extensively in farming and livestock management.

One notable individual bearing the surname Hurdle was Sir John Hurdle, a member of the English gentry who lived in the late 15th century. He was a landowner in the county of Kent and served as a justice of the peace.

In the 16th century, the name Hurdle can be found in the records of the parish of Crondall in Hampshire, where a family by the name of Hurdle resided for several generations.

Another significant figure was William Hurdle, born in 1629 in the village of Nettlebed, Oxfordshire. He was a prominent Puritan clergyman and author, known for his works on religious and theological topics.

The surname Hurdle also has connections to place names. For instance, the village of Hurdlebury in Wiltshire is believed to have derived its name from the Old English words "hyrdel" and "burg," meaning "the hurdle town."

In the 18th century, John Hurdle (1711-1784) was a notable English clockmaker and inventor from the town of Taunton in Somerset. He is credited with developing several innovations in clock mechanisms and escapements.

Among the more recent historical figures with the surname Hurdle is Charles Hurdle (1882-1959), a British trade unionist and politician who served as a Labour Party Member of Parliament for the Islington East constituency from 1945 to 1959.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hurdle

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

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

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

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