Find out how popular the last name Heater is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Heater.

Heater, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Heater surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Heater in America

Heater is the 9001st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Heater surname appeared 3,634 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Heater.

We can also compare 2010 data for Heater to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Heater

The surname HEATER is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is likely derived from the Old English word "hætan," which means "to heat" or "to make hot." The surname likely referred to someone who worked as a heater, possibly in a forge or a kiln.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname HEATER can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1199, which mentions a Robert le Heater. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 12th century.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname HEATER began to appear in various records across England. For example, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 mention a William le Heater in Oxfordshire, while the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in 1275 list a John le Heater.

One notable individual bearing the surname HEATER was Sir John Heater, a knight who lived during the reign of King Edward III in the 14th century. He was a prominent figure in the Hundred Years' War and participated in several battles against the French.

In the 15th century, the surname HEATER continued to be found in various parts of England. The Feet of Fines for Essex in 1428 mentions a Thomas Heater, while the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1524 list a Richard Heater.

As the surname spread across England, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Heator, Heatour, and Heattor. These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the inconsistencies in spelling during that time.

Another notable figure with the surname HEATER was William Heater, a prominent merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London during the 16th century. He was born around 1510 and played an active role in the city's trade and commerce.

In the 17th century, the surname HEATER continued to be found across England. One notable individual was John Heater, a puritan minister who lived in Gloucestershire from 1620 to 1684.

As the surname HEATER spread across England, it eventually made its way to other parts of the British Isles and beyond, carried by individuals who emigrated to new lands. This contributed to the further dispersal and variations of the name over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Heater

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Heater.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Heater was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Heater has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

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

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

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