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

Hurn, 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 Hurn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hurn in America

Hurn is the 18448th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hurn surname appeared 1,500 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 Hurn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hurn 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 Hurn

The surname Hurn is of Anglo-Saxon origin, tracing its roots back to the county of Dorset in southern England. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, derived from the Old English words "hurn" or "hyrne," which refer to a nook, corner, or secluded area. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with someone who resided in a remote or tucked-away location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Horne" in reference to a settlement in Dorset. This historical document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, provides valuable insights into the distribution of surnames and place names during the Norman conquest of England.

As time passed, variations in spelling emerged, including Hurne, Hurn, and Hurne. These variants likely arose due to regional dialects, and the lack of standardized spelling conventions in earlier centuries. It is worth noting that the name Hurn is also closely related to the place name "Hurn" in Dorset, which further reinforces its locational origins.

Among the notable individuals who have borne the surname Hurn throughout history is William Hurn (1568-1637), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Archdeacon of Richmond. Another figure was John Hurn (1721-1789), a renowned English engraver and printmaker known for his intricate landscapes and architectural works.

In the realm of literature, the name Hurn gained recognition through the works of Thomas Hardy, the celebrated English novelist and poet. Hardy's novel "The Return of the Native" features a character named Diggory Venn, who is referred to as "the reddleman of Hurn" – a reference to the hamlet of Hurn in Dorset.

Furthermore, the Hurn surname has been associated with notable families and estates throughout history. For instance, the Hurn family of Hurn Court in Hurn, Dorset, held significant landholdings and influence in the region during the 16th and 17th centuries.

While the name Hurn may not be among the most widespread surnames globally, its rich history and locational roots in the English county of Dorset have contributed to its enduring presence over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hurn

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

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

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

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