The 2010 U.S. Census recorded 9,011 black Americans with Haywood as their last name. That represented 49% of the total of 18,360 entries.
This article tracks their numbers in the census since the Civil War. We also look at historic African American people named Haywood.
We end with a review of early records of black military service in the United States.
After The Civil War
The 1870 census was the first survey after the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation. In 1850 and 1860, only free African Americans were recorded in the census. The many enslaved were omitted.
From 1870 onward, all black Americans were included.
1,536 people named Haywood were recorded in the 1870 census as black and 162 as mixed.
There was a total of 4,631 people with the name.
Haywood In The 1900 And 1940 Census
The mixed category was dropped from the census in 1900, so we just need to look at the black numbers this time.
The 1900 census recorded 2,804 people with the last name Haywood as black within a total of 6,405 that year.
By the way, the mixed category returned in the 1910 and 1920 censuses. It was dropped again in 1930, but replaced with extra categories for colored and non-white in a way that seems confusing now.
This changed again in 1940 and we can simply focus on one black category.
The 1940 census recorded 4,015 people named Haywood as black within a total of 9,932.
Historic Black Figures With The Haywood Surname
Here are some notable African Americans in history with Haywood as their last name.
Anna Haywood Cooper
- Born: 1858
- From: Raleigh, North Carolina
- Died: 1964
Anna Julia Haywood was born into slavery in North Carolina. Her maiden name was from her mother’s slave owner. After Emancipation, she went to St Augustine’s institute in Raleigh on a scholarship. She met her husband, George Cooper, at the school. He unfortunately died young.
Anna Haywood Cooper was highly successful academically. She went on to lecture at the institute in history, English, music, and the classics. She then attended Oberlin College and graduated with an M.A. in Mathematics.
When she moved to Washington D.C. in 1892, Cooper taught Latin at a black high school in Washington. During that time, she spoke often on civil and women’s rights.
She also wrote several books, including “A Voice From The South”, which promoted black female education. She was a co-founder of the Colored Women’s League.
Harry Haywood
- Born: 1898
- From: South Omaha, Nebraska
- Died: 1985
Harry Haywood joined the Illinois National Guard in 1917 and served in France during WWI. Discharged in 1919, he returned to Chicago where he was caught up in the race riots of that time. His older brother, Otto Hall, was a member of the Communist Party and invited him to join the organization.
Haywood became a leading member within the U.S. Communist Party. He was appointed to the Central Committee in 1931 and was head of the National Negro Department. However, he fell out with various factions within the party through the 1950s and was expelled in 1959.
Other notable African American communists
The U.S. Communist Party was one of the few political organizations in the first half of the twentieth century that openly condemned racial segregation and discrimination. This drew black activists and intellectuals into the folder. Here are some others who were members at some point:
Haywood In Black Military Records
Military records are a rich resource of information for family history research. Here are examples of the Haywood surname from different military services:
- Buffalo soldiers
- Black civil war sailors
- Tuskegee airmen
Buffalo Soldiers
Five regiments for black soldiers were formed during the Civil War. They were known as the Buffalo Soldiers.
Their records are part of the national archive of military monthly returns. The information includes the year and place of birth, where they enlisted, their occupation, and their height.
One of the earliest military entries for Haywood was in December 1866. Samuel Haywood was a Private in the U.S. Tenth Cavalry. He was stationed in December 1866 at St Louis, Missouri.
One of the later entries was in April 1907. Percy Haywood was a Private in the U.S. Tenth Cavalry.
If you are researching military ancestors, there is a free index of these records on Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org.
You have to create an account on either website, but you do not need to pay for the Buffalo Soldiers archive.
Black Civil War Sailors
The National Parks Service has a free archive of African American sailors during the Civil War.
The information includes their age, height, rank, occupation, and where and when they enlisted. It also includes every ship that they served on.
You can search the database on the National Parks website.
James Haywood
One of the earliest entries for Haywood was for James Haywood from Brooklyn, New York. He enlisted in January 17 1863 at New York when he was aged 16.
The record shows that James was assigned on April 1 1865 to the ship Arthur.
His occupation before enlisting was as a Mariner. His naval rank was 2nd Class Boy.
“2nd Class Boy” was a rank assigned to young men who were under eighteen when they enlisted.
Daniel Haywood
One of the later entries was for a sailor who enlisted at Portsmouth NH in September 8 1864. Daniel was aged 20 and was from Windsor, New Hampshire.
He was assigned to the ship Emma Henry on May 17 1865.
His occupation before enlisting was as a Cook. His naval rank was Landsman.
“Landsman” was the lowest rank at the time and was given to recruits with little sea experience.
Tuskegee Airmen
The Tuskegee Airmen were military personnel who served at the Tuskegee Army Airfield or related programs.
Nearly one thousand black pilots graduated from the Tuskegee Institute. They flew single-engine fighter planes or twin-engine bombers. 352 fought in combat.
Vernon Haywood graduated from the Tuskegee Institute in April 1943. He qualified as a fighter pilot. Vernon was from Raleigh, North Carolina.