Find out how popular the first name Heinrich has been for the last 48 years (from 1976 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Heinrich by gender

Based on the last 48 years of data, Heinrich is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 14 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Heinrich.

The history of the first name Heinrich

The name Heinrich has its origins in the Germanic languages, deriving from the Old High German name Heimric, which itself derives from the words "heim" meaning "home" and "ric" meaning "power" or "ruler." The name can be traced back to the 8th century CE and was popular among the Franks and other Germanic tribes of that period.

Heinrich gained widespread usage across medieval Europe, particularly in the regions of modern-day Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It was a common name among the nobility and ruling classes, with several notable historical figures bearing the name. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Carolingian dynasty, with Heinrich I (876-936 CE) being a prominent figure as the first East Frankish king.

The name also appears in various religious texts and chronicles from the Middle Ages. For example, Heinrich der Löwe (Henry the Lion, 1129-1195 CE), a member of the House of Welf, was a prominent figure in the Holy Roman Empire and is mentioned in several historical accounts of the time.

Over the centuries, numerous influential individuals have borne the name Heinrich. These include Heinrich VI (1165-1197 CE), a Holy Roman Emperor; Heinrich VII (1275-1313 CE), another Holy Roman Emperor; Heinrich VIII (1486-1539 CE), a German noble and Prince of Lüneburg; and Heinrich VIII (1491-1547 CE), the famous King of England who played a significant role in the English Reformation.

Other notable individuals with the name Heinrich include Heinrich Heine (1797-1856 CE), a German poet and literary critic; Heinrich Hertz (1857-1894 CE), a German physicist who demonstrated the existence of electromagnetic waves; and Heinrich Schliemann (1822-1890 CE), a German archaeologist who excavated the site of ancient Troy.

The name Heinrich has a rich historical legacy, reflecting its long-standing popularity among the Germanic peoples and its association with rulers, nobility, and influential figures across various fields throughout the centuries.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Heinrich was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Heinrich, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!