Explore the Family Name Hewitt
The meaning of Hewitt
English: 1. from the Middle English personal name Hewet, Huet, Hughet, Howet, pet forms of Hugh (Middle English Hewe, Hue; see Hugh and compare Hew). The spelling Hughet stood for both Huet and the synonymous Huget; see Huggett. This surname has also been established in Ireland since the 14th century. 2. habitational name from Hewitts in Chelsfield or Hewitts in Willesborough (both Kent), both named from Old English hīewett ‘cutting’, denoting a place where trees had been cut down. Here there lived families called de la Hewatte (1270), de la hewett (1301), and atte Hewete (1338). The name may also be topographic for someone who lived in a newly made clearing in a wood.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Hewitt in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Hewitt saw a slight dip in popularity between 2000 and 2010, with its rank dropping from 1114 to 1191, marking a decrease of approximately 6.91%. Despite this, the total count of individuals with the surname actually increased by 2.9% during this decade, growing from 28,857 to 29,694. The proportion of people named Hewitt per 100,000 also fell slightly, decreasing by 5.89%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,114 | #1,191 | -6.91% |
| Count | 28,857 | 29,694 | 2.9% |
| Proportion per 100k | 10.7 | 10.07 | -5.89% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Hewitt
The Census data also provides insight into the ethnic identity associated with the surname Hewitt. According to the 2010 Decennial U.S. Census, the majority of individuals with this surname identified as White, although this figure did see a small decline of 2.84% from 2000 to 2010. The largest increase was seen amongst those identifying as Hispanic, with a rise of 40.11%. Other increases were seen in the Asian/Pacific Islander category (up 35.56%), Black (up 13.03%), and those identifying as two or more races (up 10.84%). The percentage of people named Hewitt identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native rose marginally, increasing by 7.14%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 85.19% | 82.77% | -2.84% |
| Black | 10.36% | 11.71% | 13.03% |
| Hispanic | 1.77% | 2.48% | 40.11% |
| Two or More Races | 1.66% | 1.84% | 10.84% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.45% | 0.61% | 35.56% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.56% | 0.6% | 7.14% |
Hewitt ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Hewitt is British & Irish, which comprises 53.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (24.2%) and Eastern European (4.2%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Nigerian, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 53.6% |
| French & German | 24.2% |
| Eastern European | 4.2% |
| Other | 18.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Hewitt
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Hewitt have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 87.40% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 87.20% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 87.10% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 87.00% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 87.00% |
What Hewitt haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Hewitt is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Powell, West, Andrews, Webb, Howell, Simons, Crosby, Harrison, Owen, Davis.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Hewitt surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Hewitt have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Hewitt" Surname 44.5%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Hewitt" Surname 30.7%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Hewitt" Surname 24.1%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Hewitt" Surname 21.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Hewitt?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Hewitt are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition