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

Hechter, 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 Hechter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hechter in America

Hechter is the 123064th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hechter surname appeared 140 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 Hechter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hechter 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 Hechter

The surname Hechter originated in Germany during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the German word "hechten," which means "to follow" or "to pursue." This suggests that the name was likely given to someone who followed a particular trade or occupation.

The earliest recorded use of the name Hechter dates back to the 14th century. It appeared in various medieval German manuscripts and records, such as the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, which was a compilation of documents related to the history of Saxony.

In the 15th century, the name Hechter was found in the town of Hechingen, located in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. This town's name is believed to be related to the surname, as it was once spelled "Hechtingen."

One notable bearer of the Hechter surname was Johann Hechter, a German philosopher and theologian who lived in the 16th century (1490-1571). He was a prominent figure in the Protestant Reformation and served as a professor at the University of Wittenberg.

Another person of historical significance was Friedrich Hechter (1795-1868), a German painter and lithographer. He was known for his landscapes and genre scenes depicting everyday life in Germany.

In the 19th century, a branch of the Hechter family migrated to the United States. One of the earliest recorded instances was Jacob Hechter, who arrived in New York City in 1842.

Another notable person with the surname Hechter was Max Hechter (1903-1978), a German-born American businessman and philanthropist. He founded the Hechter Corporation, a successful clothing manufacturing company, and made significant contributions to various charitable organizations.

During the medieval and early modern periods, the surname Hechter appeared with various spellings, such as Hechter, Hechter, Hechter, and Hechter, reflecting the regional variations and language changes over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hechter

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

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

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

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