Hees last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Hees

An occupational surname relating to the occupation of hedge laying.

Hees, 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 Hees surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hees in America

Hees is the 52736th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hees surname appeared 393 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 Hees.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hees 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.

20102000Change (%)
Rank5273654385-3.08%
Count39335510.16%
Proportion per 100k0.130.130.00%

The history of the last name Hees

The surname "HEES" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "hees," which means "a tall, slender person." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone with a tall and thin stature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "HEES" can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is listed as "Hees" in this historical document, indicating its presence in the region at that time.

In the 13th century, the surname "HEES" appeared in various legal records and land transactions, often associated with individuals residing in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk in East Anglia. Some notable examples include William de Hees, who was mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Norfolk in 1248, and John Hees, who held lands in the village of Burgh St. Peter, Suffolk, in 1279.

The surname "HEES" has also been linked to several place names in England, such as the village of Hees in Middlesex and the hamlet of Hees in Staffordshire. These locations may have influenced the spelling variations of the surname over time, including "Hees," "Hese," and "Heese."

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the surname "HEES." One of the earliest was Sir Robert Hees (c. 1320-1380), a distinguished English knight who served under King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War. He fought in the Battle of Crécy in 1346 and was later appointed as the Constable of Norham Castle, a crucial fortification on the Anglo-Scottish border.

Another prominent figure was Thomas Hees (c. 1480-1557), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Thetford from 1536 until his death. He played a significant role in the English Reformation, supporting the efforts of King Henry VIII to break away from the Catholic Church.

In the 17th century, William Hees (1630-1688) was a successful merchant and landowner in the city of Bristol, England. He was involved in the thriving trade with the American colonies and amassed considerable wealth, which allowed him to purchase several estates in the surrounding countryside.

During the 18th century, the name "HEES" was carried by the renowned author and naturalist, Gilbert Hees (1720-1795). His seminal work, "A Treatise on the Natural History of England," published in 1768, was widely acclaimed for its detailed observations and descriptions of the local flora and fauna.

In more recent times, one of the most notable individuals with the surname "HEES" was Sir Edward Hees (1885-1962), a British diplomat who served as the Ambassador to the United States from 1938 to 1940. He played a crucial role in fostering strong diplomatic ties between the two nations during the turbulent years leading up to World War II.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hees

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

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 Hees was:

Race/EthnicityPercentageTotal Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only94.15%370
Non-Hispanic Black Only(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only1.53%6
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native0.00%0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races(S)%(S)
Hispanic Origin3.82%15

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 Hees has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

20102000Change (%)
White94.15%95.49%-1.41%
Black(S)%(S)%(S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander1.53%(S)%(S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.00%0.00%0.00%
Two or More Races(S)%(S)%(S)%
Hispanic3.82%2.25%51.73%

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

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

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