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

Heatherington, 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 Heatherington surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Heatherington in America

Heatherington is the 42308th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Heatherington surname appeared 513 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Heatherington.

We can also compare 2010 data for Heatherington 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 Heatherington

The surname Heatherington has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is a locational name, derived from the place name Hetherington, which comes from the Old English words "hæddre" meaning "heather" and "tun" meaning "enclosure" or "settlement." This suggests that the name originated from a settlement or village located in a heather-covered area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Hetherindone." This entry refers to a place in Northumberland, possibly the ancestral home of the Heatherington family. Over time, the spelling of the name evolved, with various variations such as Hetherington, Hetherton, and Hetherington appearing in historical records.

In the 13th century, a William de Hethrington was recorded in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire in 1246. This suggests that the family had spread to other parts of northern England by this time. Another early record is that of Robert de Hethrington, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1301.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, several notable individuals with the surname Heatherington emerged. One such figure was Sir Thomas Heatherington (1546-1622), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1616. Another was William Heatherington (1580-1645), a clergyman and author who published several religious works.

In the 18th century, the Heatherington family gained prominence in Scotland, with several members playing significant roles in the country's history. One notable figure was James Heatherington (1715-1792), a Scottish philosopher and educator who served as the principal of the University of St. Andrews.

Another prominent Heatherington was John Heatherington (1768-1846), a Scottish politician and lawyer who served as Lord Advocate of Scotland from 1835 to 1839. He was also a member of the Scottish Parliament and played a crucial role in the reform of Scotland's legal system.

As the Heatherington family spread throughout the British Isles and beyond, the name continued to appear in various historical records and literary works. While the origins of the name can be traced back to a specific location in England, it has since become a widely recognized surname with a rich and diverse history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Heatherington

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

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 Heatherington 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 Heatherington 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 Heatherington was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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