<ARTICLE>                               9
<LEGEND>
Exhibit 27
Selected Financial Data

THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM HANCOCK
HOLDING COMPANY'S DECEMBER 31, 1998 CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS, CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS AND CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS AND THE
ASSOCIATED NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS
ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>

<MULTIPLIER>                        1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                      12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>             DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                JAN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                  DEC-31-1998
<CASH>                            161,294
<INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS>                 96
<FED-FUNDS-SOLD>                        0
<TRADING-ASSETS>                        0
<INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE>       463,120
<INVESTMENTS-CARRYING>            781,249
<INVESTMENTS-MARKET>              790,379
<LOANS>                         1,305,555
<ALLOWANCE>                      (21,800)
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                  2,814,695
<DEPOSITS>                      2,374,591
<SHORT-TERM>                      140,207
<LIABILITIES-OTHER>                13,090
<LONG-TERM>                             0
<COMMON>                           36,872
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                   0
<PREFERRED>                             0
<OTHER-SE>                        249,935
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY>  2,814,695
<INTEREST-LOAN>                   118,502
<INTEREST-INVEST>                  75,124
<INTEREST-OTHER>                       33
<INTEREST-TOTAL>                  193,659
<INTEREST-DEPOSIT>                 74,464
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                 81,742
<INTEREST-INCOME-NET>             111,917
<LOAN-LOSSES>                       6,229
<SECURITIES-GAINS>                    167
<EXPENSE-OTHER>                    93,782
<INCOME-PRETAX>                    44,237
<INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY>         29,809
<EXTRAORDINARY>                         0
<CHANGES>                           1,151
<NET-INCOME>                       30,960
<EPS-PRIMARY>                        2.90
<EPS-DILUTED>                        2.89
<YIELD-ACTUAL>                       4.67
<LOANS-NON>                         5,982
<LOANS-PAST>                        2,907
<LOANS-TROUBLED>                        0
<LOANS-PROBLEM>                         0
<ALLOWANCE-OPEN>                   21,000
<CHARGE-OFFS>                       7,130
<RECOVERIES>                        1,701
<ALLOWANCE-CLOSE>                  21,800
<ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC>               21,800
<ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN>                     0
<ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED>             2,100