Explore the Family Name Hannibal
The meaning of Hannibal
1. German: from a post-humanist personal name, Hannibal (see 2 below). 2. English: post-medieval variant of Annable, from Middle English Amabil, Annabel. This female personal name fell out of fashion in the late Middle Ages, and the source of the surname was no longer recognized. It was re-interpreted in the 16th century by classically educated gentlemen as being the name of the Carthaginian general, Hannibal (247–182 BC). The surname was also sometimes later re-etymologized as honey + ball or bell, hence spellings such as Honeyball and Hunnibell. In this new guise, it coincided with an established variant of Annable with initial H-. History: There is no evidence for the use of Hannibal as a personal name in England before 1619, when Hannibal Gammon was rector of Mawgan in Pyder, Cornwall. As a medieval surname, it was borne by Matthew Hanibal (1255) and Peter Haniballus, both described as ‘civis Romanus’, and obviously Italians, but it is unlikely that either of these Italian merchants or moneylenders founded an English family.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Hannibal in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Hannibal has experienced a slight increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. The rank of the surname jumped from 21,142 in 2000 to 20,502 in 2010, reflecting an uptick of 3.03%. The number of individuals bearing this surname also rose during this period, with a count of 1,157 in 2000 increasing by 11.84% to 1,294 by 2010. This growth was mirrored by a proportional increment per 100,000 people, going up from 0.43 to 0.44, marking a 2.33% rise.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #21,142 | #20,502 | 3.03% |
| Count | 1,157 | 1,294 | 11.84% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.43 | 0.44 | 2.33% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Hannibal
The ethnicity distribution for the surname Hannibal, as recorded in the Decennial U.S. Census, reveals considerable diversity. As of 2010, the largest representation was among those identifying as Black, at 49.69%, which increased from 48.23% in 2000. Those identifying as White made up 40.42%, down from 44.17% in 2000. The representation of persons identifying as Hispanic saw a substantial leap, from 4.32% in 2000 to 6.18% in 2010, a 43.06% increase. Meanwhile, individuals identifying with two or more races showed a considerable rise, from 2.16% in 2000 to 2.86% in 2010, marking a 32.41% ascent. There were no recorded instances of individuals identifying as either Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 48.23% | 49.69% | 3.03% |
| White | 44.17% | 40.42% | -8.49% |
| Hispanic | 4.32% | 6.18% | 43.06% |
| Two or More Races | 2.16% | 2.86% | 32.41% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |