I feel like the system is calculating every account in the game, including the massive number of smurf/unused accounts that are still just lying around. I have around 10 accounts that I don't use for a variety of reasons. Since the new honor system I have only played a couple games on them, getting maybe 10 honors. Thus just in comparison to those if I get 1 honor on my main account I am already getting as many honors as the average player.
If you consider the number of people who played two or three games of league before deciding the game wasn't for them, the vast number of smurfs, and the players who left pre-honor system change it really isn't surprising to think that even a few honors puts you far ahead of the "average" player.
Now perhaps Riot's calculations account for said accounts and the community really is just that bad, idk. However if they didn't it easily explains the numbers people get.