Securities - Available for Sale Securities Unrealized Losses (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Unrealized Loss And Fair Value Available For Sale Securities [Line Items]
Available for sale securities, Losses less than 12 months, Fair Value	$ 1,046,196	$ 63,298
Available for sale securities, Losses Less than 12 months, Gross Unrealized Losses	5,742	30
Available for sale securities, Losses 12 months or longer, Fair value	1,344	1,099
Available for sale securities, Losses 12 months or longer, Gross Unrealized Losses	16	9
Available for sale securities, Total, Fair value	1,047,540	64,397
Available for sale securities, Total, Gross Unrealized Losses	5,758	39
Municipal obligations [Member]
Unrealized Loss And Fair Value Available For Sale Securities [Line Items]
Available for sale securities, Losses less than 12 months, Fair Value	5,749	5,278
Available for sale securities, Losses Less than 12 months, Gross Unrealized Losses	40	14
Available for sale securities, Losses 12 months or longer, Fair value	540
Available for sale securities, Losses 12 months or longer, Gross Unrealized Losses	6
Available for sale securities, Total, Fair value	6,289	5,278
Available for sale securities, Total, Gross Unrealized Losses	46	14
Mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Unrealized Loss And Fair Value Available For Sale Securities [Line Items]
Available for sale securities, Losses less than 12 months, Fair Value	992,038	57,752
Available for sale securities, Losses Less than 12 months, Gross Unrealized Losses	5,647	14
Available for sale securities, Losses 12 months or longer, Fair value	802	1,097
Available for sale securities, Losses 12 months or longer, Gross Unrealized Losses	9	7
Available for sale securities, Total, Fair value	992,840	58,849
Available for sale securities, Total, Gross Unrealized Losses	5,656	21
Collateralized mortgage obligations [Member]
Unrealized Loss And Fair Value Available For Sale Securities [Line Items]
Available for sale securities, Losses less than 12 months, Fair Value	48,409
Available for sale securities, Losses Less than 12 months, Gross Unrealized Losses	55
Available for sale securities, Total, Fair value	48,409
Available for sale securities, Total, Gross Unrealized Losses	55
Equity securities [Member]
Unrealized Loss And Fair Value Available For Sale Securities [Line Items]
Available for sale securities, Losses less than 12 months, Fair Value		268
Available for sale securities, Losses Less than 12 months, Gross Unrealized Losses		2
Available for sale securities, Losses 12 months or longer, Fair value	2	2
Available for sale securities, Losses 12 months or longer, Gross Unrealized Losses	1	2
Available for sale securities, Total, Fair value	2	270
Available for sale securities, Total, Gross Unrealized Losses	$ 1	$ 4

Name:	hbhc_UnrealizedLossAndFairValueAvailableForSaleSecuritiesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	hbhc_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Amount of the excess of amortized cost basis over fair value of securities that have been in a loss position for twelve months or longer for securities which are categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses2
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of the excess of amortized cost basis over fair value of securities in a loss position and categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionAggregateLosses2
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This item represents the aggregate fair value of investments in debt and equity securities in an unrealized loss position which are categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 6

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6872113&loc=d3e27290-111563

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name FASB Staff Position (FSP)

-Number FAS115-1/124-1

-Paragraph 17

-Subparagraph a(1)

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF)

-Number 03-1

-Paragraph 21

-Subparagraph a(2)

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of the excess of amortized cost basis over fair value of securities that have been in a loss position for less than twelve months for securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses2
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This item represents the aggregate fair value of investments in debt and equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities that have been in a continuous unrealized loss position for less than twelve months.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF)

-Number 03-1

-Paragraph 21

-Subparagraph a(2)

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 7

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6872113&loc=d3e27337-111563

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 6

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6872113&loc=d3e27290-111563

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name FASB Staff Position (FSP)

-Number FAS115-1/124-1

-Paragraph 17

-Subparagraph a(1)

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant