Hughes /hjuːz/ is a patronymic surname of Welsh and Irish origin. It may also be the etymologically unrelated Picard variant Hugh (Old French Hue) of the Germanic name Hugo.
In Wales and other areas of Brythonic Britain, the name derives from the personal name "Hu" or "Huw", meaning "fire" or "inspiration". At the time of the British Census of 1881, the relative frequency of the surname Hughes was highest on the Welsh island of Ynys Môn (Anglesey) (37.2 times the British average), followed by Gwynedd, Flintshire, Denbighshire, Meirionydd, Montgomeryshire, Ceredigion, Radnorshire and Carmarthenshire,
Ireland
The surname evolved from the ancient Irish name of Ó hAodha, "grandson/descendant of Aodh (meaning "fire")." Aodh was frequently Anglicized as Hugh, with Ó hAodha in turn being anglicized as Hughes or Hayes. Hughes is the 15th most common name in the northern Irish province of Ulster, being especially common in the Ulster counties Armagh, Tyrone, Monaghan, and Fermanagh. It was the 34th most common name in Matheson's 1890 census of Ireland and the 44th most common surname in Ireland in the 1992–1997 period. In addition to the counties of Ulster, the surname Hughes is also commonly found in the counties Wexford, Donegal, Galway and Cork. There are variant spellings.
People with the surname Hughes include:
Hughes brothers
Hughes Brothers
Aaron Hughes, Northern Irish footballer
Adam Hughes (disambiguation)
Alan Hughes, Irish Cricketer
Alan Hughes, Irish TV Personality
Alex Hughes, cartoonist
Alex Hughes (cricketer) (born 1991), English cricketer
Alexander Minto Hughes, English ska and reggae musician (1945–1998)
Andrew Hughes (disambiguation), several people
Andy Hughes, electronic music producer
Anne Hughes, American restaurateur and art patron
Anthony Hughes (born 1948), English judge
Archie Hughes (1919–1992), Welsh international footballer
Arthur Hughes (artist) (1831–1915), English painter
Arthur Hughes (actor) (1894–1982), American actor and radio personality
Arwel Hughes (1909–1988), Welsh composer and conductor, father of Owain Arwel Hughes
Augusto Hughes (1931–1993), Argentine Air Force commander and Junta member
Barnard Hughes (1915–2006), Irish-American actor
Bettany Hughes (born 1968), English historian
Bill Hughes (first baseman) (1860–1928), baseball player
Bill Hughes (pitcher) (1896–1963), American baseball player in 1921
Bill Hughes (musician) (born 1930), American jazz musician
Bill Hughes (police officer) (born 1950), Director General of Britain's Serious Organised Crime Agency
Billy Hughes (1862–1952), seventh Prime Minister of Australia
Billy Hughes (actor) (1948–2005), American actor
Billy Hughes (educationist) (1914–1995), British Labour Party politician and educationist
Billy Hughes (footballer, born 1918) (died 1981), Birmingham F.C., Chelsea F.C. and Wales international footballer
Billy Hughes (footballer, born 1929) (died 2003), Scottish footballer with York City F.C.
Billy Hughes (footballer, born 1948), Scottish footballer with Sunderland A.F.C.
Billy Hughes (footballer, born 1960), English footballer with Gillingham F.C.
Billy Hughes (footballer, born 1865), Welsh international
Billy Hughes (musician) (1908–1995) Western Swing musician and songwriter
Brendan Hughes (1948–2008), Irish republican
Brian Hughes (musician) (born 1955), jazz guitarist
Bryan Hughes (born 1969), member of the Texas House of Representatives
Charles Evans Hughes (1862–1948), American government official, former United States Secretary of State and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
Charles Evans Hughes, Jr. (1889–1950), American government official, United States Solicitor General 1929–1930.
Charles Evans Hughes III (1915–1985), American architect.
Chesney Hughes (born 1991), Anguillian cricketer
Chris Hughes (born 1983), co-founder of Facebook
Chrissy Hughes, American figure skater
Christa Hughes, Australian singer
Christopher Hughes (quiz contestant) (born 1947), British quiz champion
Chuck Hughes (1943–1971), NFL player
Clara Hughes (born 1972), Canadian cyclist and speed skater, multiple Olympic medal winner
Cledwyn Hughes (1916–2001), Welsh Labour politician
Curtis Hughes (born 1964), American professional wrestler
Dante Hughes, NFL cornerback
Darren Hughes (disambiguation), several people
David Hughes (disambiguation), several people
Dennis Hughes, (1931–1990), English footballer
Detrick Hughes (born 1966), American poet
Don B. Hughes (born 1940), Maryland State Delegate
Dorothy B. Hughes (1904–1993), U.S. crime writer
Eddie Hughes (born 1960), American basketball player
Edward Hughes, Catholic priest and exorcist
Edward Hughes Ball Hughes (1798–1863), English dandy
Edwin Hughes (disambiguation), several people
Edwin Holt Hughes (1866–1950), Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church
Emily Hughes (born 1989), American figure skater
Emlyn Hughes (1947–2004), Liverpool F.C. and England national football team captain
Emmett Hughes (born 1987), Irish film actor, writer, producer
Emrys Hughes (1894–1969), a Welsh and the Scottish Labour politician
Ernie Hughes (born 1955), American football player
Fountain Hughes, former American slave
Francis Hughes, Irish republican and hunger striker
Fred G. Hughes(1837–1911), five time member of Arizona Territorial Legislature
Gareth Hughes Welsh silent screen actor
Gareth Thomas Llewelyn Hughes New-Zealand politician and member of the Green Party
George O. Hughes painter, performance artist, art educator
Glenn Hughes (born 1951), bassist and vocalist
Gary Hughes (born 1967), vocalist, guitarist and songwriter
Graham Hughes (born 1979), adventurer and filmmaker
H. Stuart Hughes (1916–1999), American historian, professor and activist
Henry Hughes, nineteenth century British locomotive builder, see Brush Traction
Henry P. Hughes (1904–1968), American jurist
Herbert Bristow Hughes (1821–1892), pioneer pastoralist in South Australia
Howard Robard Hughes, Jr. (1905–1976), American pilot, movie producer and playboy
Howard Robard Hughes, Sr. (1869–1924), American businessman; father of Howard Robard Hughes, Jr..
Howard Hughes (murderer) (born 1965), British paedophile and murderer
Ian Hughes (diplomat) (born 1951), British ambassador
Ian Hughes (epredator) (born 1967), English technology evangelist
Ian Hughes (rugby league) (born 1972), British professional rugby player
Ian Hughes (disambiguation), several people
James B. Hughes (1805–1873) was an American newsman, politician, and abolitionist
James Hughes (disambiguation), several people
Jason Hughes (disambiguation), several people
Jefferson D. Hughes, III, associate justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court since 2013
Jesse Hughes (disambiguation), several people
John Joseph Hughes, Irish-born American prelate, first Archbishop of New York City, founder of St. Patrick's Cathedral
John Hughes (disambiguation), several people
John Arthur Hughes, U.S. Marine Corps officer and Medal of Honor recipient
Joseph Hughes (disambiguation), several people
Joshua Hughes, Welsh Bishop
Kelly Hughes (born 1970), Canadian arts promoter
Langston Hughes (1902–1967), American poet
Larry Hughes (born 1979), American basketball player for the New York Knicks
Lee Hughes (born 22 May 1976) is an English Footballer who plays for Notts County as a striker.
Lena Hughes, American musician
Lena B. Smithers Hughes, American botanist
Liam Hughes (born 11 September 1988), English football striker
Lloyd Hughes, American silent film actor
Lloyd Herbert Hughes, U.S. Army Air Forces Lieutenant, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for action in World War II
Madison Hughes (born 1992), American rugby sevens player
Mark Hughes (born 1963), Welsh international footballer and football manager
Mark Hughes (basketball) (born 1966), American basketball player and coach
Mark Hughes (Emmerdale), fictional character on the ITV soap opera Emmerdale
Mark Hughes (English footballer) (born 1986), English footballer
Mark Hughes (fighter) (born 1973), American mixed martial arts fighter
Mark Hughes (journalist), English Formula One journalist
Mark Hughes (Northern Ireland footballer) (born 1983), Northern Irish footballer
Mark Hughes (politician) (1932–1993), MP for the city of Durham, 1970–1983
Mark Hughes (rugby league) (born 1976), Australian former professional rugby league player
Mark R. Hughes (1956–2000), American entrepreneur, a founder of Herbalife
Mary Vivian Hughes (1866–1956), British educator and author
Mathew Hughes (1822–1882), Victoria Cross recipient
Matt Hughes (disambiguation)
Meredydd Hughes, Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police
Merv Hughes (born 1961), Australian cricketer
Michael Anthony Hughes (1988–1994) abducted elementary school student
Nerys Hughes (born 1941), Welsh actress
Neil Hughes, UK District Councillor featured in Michael Apted's Up Series
Oliver Hughes, American Civil War recipient of the U.S. Medal of Honor
Owain Arwel Hughes (born 1942), Welsh orchestral conductor, son of Arwel Hughes
Pat Hughes (disambiguation), several people
Paul Hughes (disambiguation), several people
Pete Hughes, American college baseball coach
Peter Hughes (disambiguation), several people
Phil Hughes (born 1986), American baseball player
Phil Hughes (footballer, born 1964), Northern Irish football player
Philip Hughes (footballer, born 1981), Irish football player
Phil Hughes (cricketer, born 1991), English cricketer
Phillip Hughes (1988–2014), Australian cricketer
Philip Edgcumbe Hughes (1915–1990), Anglican clergyman and New Testament scholar
Philip Hughes (Catholic historian) (1895–1967), Catholic priest and historian
G. Philip Hughes (born 1953), American diplomat
Rex Hughes, American basketball coach in the NBA
Richard Hughes (disambiguation), several people
Rick Hughes (born 1973), American basketball player
Robert Hughes (disambiguation), several people
Ronnie Hughes, guitarist
Roy Hughes (bridge) (born 1954), Canadian bridge player
Russell S. Hughes (1910–1958), American TV and film screenwriter
R. Kent Hughes, Senior Pastor Emeritus of College Church
Sarah Hughes (born 1985), an American figure skater and Olympic gold medalist
Sarah T. Hughes (1896–1985), a US district judge who administered oath of office to President Lyndon Johnson
Séamus Hughes (born 1952), an Irish Fianna Fáil politician
Simon Hughes (born 1951), an English politician
Simon Hughes (cricketer) (born 1959), an English cricketer and journalist
Simon Pollard Hughes, Jr. (1830–1906), a Governor of Arkansas
Spike Hughes (1908–1987), a British jazz musician
Stephen Hughes (footballer, born 1982), a Scottish footballer
Stephen Hughes (footballer, born 1976), an English footballer
Tanya Hughes (born 1972), American high jumper
Ted Hughes (Edward James Hughes) (1930–1998), English poet
Ted Hughes (judge), Canadian judge
Terry Hughes (disambiguation), several people
Tim Hughes, Christian worship leader and songwriter
Thomas Hughes (disambiguation), several people
Todd Hughes, American writer and film producer
Todd M. Hughes, American attorney and federal judicial nominee
Tyler Hughes (born 1993), soccer player
Vincent Hughes, an American politician
Vincent Hughes (ice hockey), an Australian ice hockey player
Warren Hughes, English racing driver
William Hughes (disambiguation)
Yolanda Hughes, American female bodybuilder
