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

Hehr, 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 Hehr surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hehr in America

Hehr is the 36154th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hehr surname appeared 620 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 Hehr.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hehr 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 Hehr

The surname HEHR is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the regions of Bavaria and Franconia, where it was initially spelled as "Heher" or "Hehre."

This name is derived from the Middle High German word "hēr," meaning "noble" or "honorable." It was likely given as a descriptive surname to individuals who exhibited qualities of nobility, valor, or high social standing within their communities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the HEHR surname can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of medieval documents from Saxony, which mentions a certain "Heinrich Hehre" in the year 1285.

Another notable historical reference is the appearance of the name "Hans Hehr" in the Nürnberger Häuserbücher, a register of houses and their owners in the city of Nuremberg, dating back to the 15th century.

In the 16th century, a prominent figure bearing this surname was Johann HEHR (1497-1564), a German theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation. He was a close associate of Martin Luther and served as a professor at the University of Wittenberg.

During the 17th century, the HEHR surname gained recognition through the work of Michael HEHR (1611-1688), a German Baroque composer and organist. He was renowned for his contributions to the development of the Protestant church music tradition.

Another notable bearer of this name was Johann Georg HEHR (1720-1788), a German philosopher and author who wrote extensively on the principles of logic and metaphysics.

In the 19th century, the HEHR surname gained international recognition with the life and work of Johann Baptist HEHR (1813-1890), a German-born artist and painter who immigrated to the United States. His paintings, depicting scenes from the American West, are highly regarded and can be found in various museums and private collections.

Throughout its history, the HEHR surname has been associated with individuals who have made significant contributions in fields such as religion, philosophy, music, and art, reflecting the noble and honorable connotations of its origin.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hehr

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

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

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

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