2000
#941
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 34,032
First available Census row
Per 100,000 12.62
Uncommon Last name
Hendrix
Derived from the German name Heinrich, meaning "home ruler" or "ruler of the household."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 38,447 Americans carry the last name Hendrix. That puts it at #1,026 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 11.22 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 8,915 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hendrix 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
38K
1 in 8,915
Census rank
#1,026
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
11.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
34K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 33,528 bearers of the surname Hendrix in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 11.22 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1026th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hendrix, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.9%. The next largest groups are Black (16.4%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hendrix
The surname Hendrix finds its origins in the ancient Germanic territories, specifically in the regions that are now modern-day Germany and the Netherlands. It is believed to have originated as an occupational name, derived from the Old German word "henker," which referred to a hangman or executioner.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century, where it appeared in various medieval documents and records. The name was often spelled differently in those times, with variations such as Hendriks, Hendricks, and Hendrik being common.
During the Middle Ages, the name Hendrix was particularly prevalent in certain areas of Germany and the Low Countries. It was associated with specific towns and villages, some of which may have derived their names from the same root word as the surname itself.
In the 14th century, there are records of a Hendrix family residing in the town of Zwolle, in the Dutch province of Overijssel. This family is believed to have played a significant role in the local community and may have contributed to the spread of the name in the region.
One notable historical figure bearing the surname Hendrix was Johannes Hendrix (1492-1568), a Dutch Catholic priest and theologian who served as a canon in the city of Utrecht. He was known for his writings on religious matters and his involvement in the theological debates of his time.
Another prominent individual with the name Hendrix was Johann Hendrix (1615-1686), a German mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics. He is credited with developing a method for calculating the orbits of comets and planets.
In the 18th century, a Hendrix family settled in the German principality of Anhalt-Zerbst, where they established themselves as respected landowners and members of the local nobility. One of their descendants, Friedrich Wilhelm Hendrix (1779-1844), served as a military officer during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a prominent figure in the administration of the principality.
The name Hendrix also gained recognition in the United States, particularly in the 20th century, with the rise of the legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970). Born Johnny Allen Hendrix in Seattle, Washington, he is regarded as one of the most influential and innovative musicians of his era, known for his virtuosic guitar playing and his impact on the development of rock music.
While the surname Hendrix may have evolved over time and spread to various regions, its roots can be traced back to the ancient Germanic territories, where it originated as an occupational name associated with the role of a hangman or executioner. Its rich history spans centuries and includes notable figures from different walks of life, contributing to the cultural and intellectual fabric of their respective societies.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hendrix
Among Census respondents with the surname Hendrix, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.9%. The next largest groups are Black (16.4%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Hendrix 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 Hendrix surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White73.9% · 24,774
- Black or African American16.4% · 5,489
- Two or more races4.7% · 1,589
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 1,208
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 268
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 200
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hendrix
Hendrix 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
#991
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 35,194
+1,162 bearers (+3.4%)
Per 100,000 11.93
Rank movement Down 50 places
2020
#1,026
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 33,528
-1,666 bearers (-4.7%)
Per 100,000 11.22
Rank movement Down 35 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #941 | 34,032 | 12.62 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #991 | 35,194 | 11.93 | +1,162 bearers (+3.4%) | Down 50 places |
| 2020 | #1,026 | 33,528 | 11.22 | -1,666 bearers (-4.7%) | Down 35 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 Hendrix 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 | #991 | #1,026 | -3.5% |
| Count | 35,194 | 33,528 | -4.7% |
| Per 100K | 11.93 | 11.22 | -6.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hendrix bearers went from 35,194 to 33,528 (-4.7% change). The surname moved down 35 positions in the national ranking, going from #991 to #1,026.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Hendrix
FAQ
Hendrix surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hendrix?
Name Census estimates that about 38,447 living Americans carry the surname Hendrix. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 8,915 residents.
How common is Hendrix?
Hendrix ranks #1,026 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 11.22 per 100,000 residents, which is about 11 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 33,528 people with the surname Hendrix. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (38,447), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 11.22 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 11.22 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 11 of them to have the surname Hendrix.
Has Hendrix become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hendrix went from 35,194 recorded bearers to 33,528. That is a decrease of 1,666 (-4.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #991 to #1,026.
What does the Census say about the background of Hendrix?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hendrix, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.9%. The next largest groups are Black (16.4%) and Two or More Races (4.7%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Hendrix in the 2020 Census, accounting for 73.9% (24,774 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hendrix appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (73.9%), Black (16.4%), Two or More Races (4.7%). 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 Hendrix (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 Hendrix mean?
Derived from the German name Heinrich, meaning "home ruler" or "ruler of the household." 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 Hendrix (11.22 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 Hendrix?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.