2000
#13,249
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.78
Rare Last name
Hymes
Derived from a medieval nickname for a domestic servant or a topographic name referring to someone living on a hill.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,316 Americans carry the last name Hymes. That puts it at #14,265 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.68 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 147,994 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hymes 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
2.3K
1 in 147,994
Census rank
#14,265
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,020 bearers of the surname Hymes in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.68 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14265th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hymes, the largest self-reported group is Black at 45.1%. The next largest groups are White (45.1%) and Two or More Races (5.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hymes
The surname Hymes has its origins in England and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "hym," which referred to a remote or secluded place, often a small hamlet or village. This suggests that the name may have initially been used to identify someone who lived in such a remote location.
The Hymes surname first appeared in historical records in the County of Suffolk, where the family held lands and properties. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which mentions a Richard de Hymes residing in Suffolk.
During the medieval period, the name underwent various spellings, including Hymes, Hims, Hymes, and Hymmes. This variation was common at a time when spelling conventions were not yet standardized, and names were often written down phonetically based on regional accents and dialects.
In the 14th century, the Hymes family prospered and expanded their landholdings, with branches of the family establishing themselves in several counties across southern England, including Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Wiltshire.
One notable figure bearing the Hymes surname was John Hymes, a wealthy merchant and landowner who lived in the 15th century. Records indicate that he owned substantial properties in Gloucestershire and was involved in the wool trade, a significant industry at the time.
Another prominent individual was Sir William Hymes, a distinguished soldier who fought in the Wars of the Roses during the latter half of the 15th century. He is mentioned in several historical accounts for his bravery and loyalty to the House of Lancaster.
In the 16th century, the Hymes family continued to play a role in English society. Robert Hymes, born in 1542, was a renowned scholar and theologian who served as a rector at the University of Oxford.
During the 17th century, the name Hymes gained further recognition with the birth of Edward Hymes in 1633. He was a renowned architect responsible for designing several notable churches and public buildings in London, including St. Paul's Cathedral, which he worked on alongside Sir Christopher Wren.
The Hymes surname has been carried by many other individuals throughout history, although their specific contributions and accomplishments may not have been as widely documented. Nevertheless, the name has endured for centuries, reflecting the rich tapestry of English heritage and the diverse stories of families who have borne it.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hymes
Among Census respondents with the surname Hymes, the largest self-reported group is Black at 45.1%. The next largest groups are White (45.1%) and Two or More Races (5.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Hymes 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 Hymes surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American45.1% · 912
- White45.1% · 911
- Two or more races5.6% · 114
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 68
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 11
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hymes
Hymes 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
#13,874
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,177
+65 bearers (+3.1%)
Per 100,000 0.74
Rank movement Down 625 places
2020
#14,265
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,020
-157 bearers (-7.2%)
Per 100,000 0.68
Rank movement Down 391 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,249 | 2,112 | 0.78 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,874 | 2,177 | 0.74 | +65 bearers (+3.1%) | Down 625 places |
| 2020 | #14,265 | 2,020 | 0.68 | -157 bearers (-7.2%) | Down 391 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 Hymes 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 | #13,874 | #14,265 | -2.8% |
| Count | 2,177 | 2,020 | -7.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.74 | 0.68 | -8.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hymes bearers went from 2,177 to 2,020 (-7.2% change). The surname moved down 391 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,874 to #14,265.
FAQ
Hymes surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hymes?
Name Census estimates that about 2,316 living Americans carry the surname Hymes. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 147,994 residents.
How common is Hymes?
Hymes ranks #14,265 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.68 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 2,020 people with the surname Hymes. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,316), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.68 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.68 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 Hymes.
Has Hymes become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hymes went from 2,177 recorded bearers to 2,020. That is a decrease of 157 (-7.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #13,874 to #14,265.
What does the Census say about the background of Hymes?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hymes, the largest self-reported group is Black at 45.1%. The next largest groups are White (45.1%) and Two or More Races (5.6%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Hymes in the 2020 Census, accounting for 45.1% (912 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hymes appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (45.1%), White (45.1%), Two or More Races (5.6%). 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 Hymes (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 Hymes mean?
Derived from a medieval nickname for a domestic servant or a topographic name referring to someone living on a hill. 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 Hymes (0.68 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 Americans have the surname Hymes?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.