# Hugh (surname)

Source: https://namelineage.com/surname/hugh/  
Publisher: Name Lineage. Counts from the US Census Bureau; origin and etymology from Wiktionary; bearers from Wikidata. Data updated 2026-11-11.

A surname originating as a patronymic.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin | English |
| Type | patronymic, formed from a father’s (or ancestor’s) given name |
| People in the US (2010 Census) | 1,271 |
| US rank (2010) | 20,780 of 162,253 |
| How often | about 1 in every 242,915 people |
| Change since 2000 | -1.7% (1,293 in 2000) |
| Pronunciation | /hjuː/, 1 syllable |
| Variant spellings | none recorded |

## Etymology

From the Old French aristocratic and saint's name Hughe, brought to England by Normans, from a short form of Germanic names beginning with Proto-Germanic *hugiz (“heart, mind”), such as Hubert. Cognate with Old English hyġe (“mind, spirit, intellect”). More at high, how.

## Who carries it

Share of people named Hugh in the 2010 US Census by the Census's own race and ethnicity groups. The Census suppresses a share when the count behind it is small.

| Group | Share |
|---|---|
| White (not Hispanic) | 48% |
| Black (not Hispanic) | 22% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.3% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 21% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.6% |
| Two or more races | 5.7% |

## Similar surnames

Hu, Hough, High, Haugh, Huh, Hughey, Haug, Hugo, Hug, Hughs, Haughey, Huish.

## How to read these numbers

A Census count is people alive and counted in 2010, not births, and names occurring fewer than 100 times are not published at all. Ethnicity shares are the Census's own categories.