Explore the Family Name Higham
The meaning of Higham
English: habitational name from any of the places called Higham (Lancashire, Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Warwickshire, Essex, and Kent) or from Heigham in Norfolk. Most of the placenames derive from Old English hēah ‘high’ + hām ‘village, homestead’, though the Norfolk placename may come from Old English hecg ‘hedge’ or hecc ‘hatch, gate’ + hām.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Higham in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Higham has seen a slight decrease in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 16,646 and by 2010, its rank had dropped to 17,111, reflecting a decrease of 2.79%. However, the count of individuals with the surname Higham increased from 1,585 in 2000 to 1,658 in 2010, showing a growth of 4.61%. The proportion per 100,000 people also declined slightly from 0.59 in 2000 to 0.56 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #16,646 | #17,111 | -2.79% |
| Count | 1,585 | 1,658 | 4.61% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.59 | 0.56 | -5.08% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Higham
In terms of ethnicity, the distribution of the Higham surname saw some changes over the decade based on the Decennial U.S. Census. The percentage of Highams identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased by 57.97%, and those reporting two or more races grew by 37.12%. The majority of Highams identified as White, though this decreased slightly from 95.96% in 2000 to 93.61% in 2010. The Hispanic representation among Highams saw a significant increase of 92.05%, while the proportion identifying as Black went down to zero in 2010. There were no reported Highams of American Indian and Alaskan Native ethnicity during these years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.96% | 93.61% | -2.45% |
| Hispanic | 1.51% | 2.9% | 92.05% |
| Two or More Races | 1.32% | 1.81% | 37.12% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.69% | 1.09% | 57.97% |
| Black | 0.5% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |