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

Heffron, 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 Heffron surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Heffron in America

Heffron is the 12916th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Heffron surname appeared 2,380 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 Heffron.

We can also compare 2010 data for Heffron 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 Heffron

The surname Heffron has its origins in Ireland, stemming from the Gaelic name Ó hEachthigheirn, which translates to "descendant of Eachthigheirn." This name was composed of two elements: "each" meaning horse and "tigheirn" meaning lord or master, suggesting that the original bearer was a master of horses or a skilled horseman.

The earliest records of the name Heffron can be traced back to County Sligo in the west of Ireland, where it was first documented in the 13th century. Over time, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Heffron, Hefferon, Heffren, and Heffernan, due to the lack of standardized spelling rules during the medieval period.

One of the earliest known references to the name Heffron is found in the Irish Annals, which record the exploits of several individuals bearing this surname. In the 14th century, a notable figure named Fergal Ó hEachthigheirn is mentioned as a prominent chieftain in County Sligo.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Heffron family played a significant role in Irish history, particularly in the context of the Elizabethan and Cromwellian conquests. In 1641, Terence Heffron, a member of the Irish Catholic nobility, participated in the Irish Rebellion against English rule and was subsequently attainted for his involvement.

Another notable bearer of the name was Patrick Heffron (1720-1779), a wealthy landowner and Catholic merchant from County Down. He was a prominent figure in the Irish Patriot movement and played a crucial role in advocating for the rights of Catholics in Ireland during the 18th century.

In the 19th century, the name Heffron became associated with the Irish diaspora, as many individuals bearing this surname emigrated to other parts of the world, particularly to the United States and Australia, in search of better opportunities. One such individual was John Heffron (1834-1904), an Irish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.

Other notable individuals with the surname Heffron include Jeremiah Heffron (1836-1890), an Irish-American Civil War veteran and politician from Pennsylvania, and William Heffron (1909-1985), an Australian politician who served as the Premier of New South Wales from 1959 to 1964.

Overall, the surname Heffron has a rich history deeply rooted in Irish culture and heritage, with various branches of the family making significant contributions across different regions and time periods.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Heffron

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

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

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

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