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

Hyatt, 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 Hyatt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hyatt in America

Hyatt is the 1863rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hyatt surname appeared 19,280 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Hyatt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hyatt 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 Hyatt

The surname Hyatt has its roots in England, originating during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "hege," meaning "hedge," and the word "geat," meaning "gate." The combined form, "hege-geat," referred to a keeper or warden of a hedge gate, which was a common occupation at the time.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical documents from the 13th century. In the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire, compiled in 1273, the name appears as "Heygat." Similarly, in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, the name is spelled as "Heygate."

One of the earliest known individuals bearing the surname was John Hyatt, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1260. Another notable reference is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a person named Hegehate is recorded as residing in Gloucestershire.

Over time, the name evolved and took on various spellings, such as Hyatt, Hyet, Hyett, and Hiate. One of the earliest recorded instances of the modern spelling "Hyatt" can be found in the Hearth Tax Rolls of Hampshire from 1665, where a William Hyatt is listed.

A few notable historical figures with the surname Hyatt include:

1. John Hyatt (1592-1646), an English Puritan minister and author who served as the pastor of St. Mary's Church in Fulham.
2. Thaddeus Hyatt (1816-1901), an American naturalist and zoologist, known for his contributions to the study of sponges and fossil invertebrates.
3. John Wesley Hyatt (1837-1920), an American inventor and industrialist, best known for his invention of celluloid, an early plastic material.
4. Alphonso Hyatt (1838-1902), an American zoologist and paleontologist, recognized for his work on fossil cephalopods.
5. Harry Hyatt (1888-1964), an American film director and screenwriter, known for his work in the silent film era and early talkies.

The Hyatt surname has its origins deeply rooted in English history, evolving from an occupational description to a well-established family name over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hyatt

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

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

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

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