Heigl
A German surname from a place name meaning "small town" or "village".
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 480 Americans carry the last name Heigl. That puts it at #49,723 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.14 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 714,072 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Heigl surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
480
1 in 714,072
Census rank
#49,723
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
422
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 422 bearers of the surname Heigl in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.14 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 49723rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Heigl, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.9%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Heigl
The surname HEIGL is of German origin, with roots dating back to the late Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the southern regions of Germany, particularly in Bavaria and the surrounding areas.
HEIGL is thought to be derived from the old German word "hëigir," which means "hedgehog." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname or occupational name for someone who hunted or worked with hedgehogs or their quills.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name HEIGL can be found in a 14th-century document from the town of Augsburg, Bavaria. This document mentions a certain "Heinrich Heigl," suggesting that the name had already been established by that time.
In the 16th century, the HEIGL name appeared in several church records and tax rolls in the Bavarian towns of Landshut and Regensburg. This indicates that the name was relatively widespread in the region during that period.
A notable historical figure bearing the HEIGL surname was Johann Heigl, a German painter and engraver who lived from 1637 to 1712. He was known for his intricate etchings and engravings depicting religious and mythological scenes.
Another notable HEIGL was Maximilian Heigl, a Bavarian soldier and officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars during the early 19th century. He was born in 1782 and died in 1856.
In the late 19th century, a German-American named Wilhelm Heigl immigrated to the United States and settled in Pennsylvania. He was born in 1845 and became a prominent figure in the local German-American community.
The name HEIGL has also been associated with several place names in Germany, such as Heiglhof and Heiglheim, which may have contributed to the development and spread of the surname in different regions.
One of the most famous individuals with the HEIGL surname in modern times is Katherine Heigl, the American actress known for her roles in films and television shows such as "Grey's Anatomy" and "Knocked Up." She was born in 1978.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Heigl
Among Census respondents with the surname Heigl, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.9%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Heigl bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Heigl surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.3%
- Hispanic or Latino1.9%
- Two or more races1.9%
- Unknown or suppressed1.9%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Heigl surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #47,939 | #49,723 | -3.7% |
| Count | 415 | 422 | 1.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.15 | 0.14 | -6.7% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Heigl bearers went from 415 to 422 (+1.7% change). The surname moved down 1,784 positions in the national ranking, going from #47,939 to #49,723.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Heigl
FAQ
Heigl surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Heigl?
The surname Heigl holds position #49,723 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 480 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.14 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Heigl surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Heigl, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.9%) and Two or More Races (1.9%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.