Hemme
A locational surname derived from a place name and meaning "dweller on the ridge of land".
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 857 Americans carry the last name Hemme. That puts it at #31,724 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.25 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 399,947 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hemme 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
857
1 in 399,947
Census rank
#31,724
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
728
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 728 bearers of the surname Hemme in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.25 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 31724th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hemme, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.8%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hemme
The surname Hemme originated in northern Germany, particularly in the regions of Lower Saxony and Westphalia. It dates back to the medieval period and is derived from the Old German word "hamma," meaning "pasture" or "meadow." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who lived in or worked on pastures or meadows.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Hemme can be found in the Werdener Urkundenbuch, a collection of medieval documents from the Werden Abbey in Essen, Germany. The name appears as early as the 13th century, with references to individuals such as Hermannus Hemme and Johannes Hemme.
In the 14th century, the name Hemme was mentioned in the Stadtbuch von Osnabrück, a historical record of the city of Osnabrück, where it was spelled as "Hemmen." This variation in spelling was common during that time period.
One notable individual bearing the surname Hemme was Johann Hemme, a German philosopher and theologian who lived from 1556 to 1618. He was a prominent figure in the Lutheran Reformation and served as a professor at the University of Marburg.
Another significant figure was Christian Hemme, a German composer and organist born in 1658 in Mühlhausen, Thuringia. He is known for his contributions to the development of the Organ Concerto genre during the Baroque period.
In the 19th century, the surname Hemme was associated with several notable individuals, including Friedrich Hemme (1805-1880), a German politician and member of the Prussian House of Representatives, and Gustav Hemme (1833-1899), a German artist and illustrator known for his landscapes and genre scenes.
The name Hemme has also been connected to various place names, particularly in northern Germany. For example, the town of Hemme in Lower Saxony and the village of Hemmern in North Rhine-Westphalia may have derived their names from individuals bearing the surname Hemme who lived in or owned land in those areas.
While the surname Hemme is not as common as some other German surnames, it has a rich history dating back to the medieval period and has been associated with individuals from various professions and backgrounds throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hemme
Among Census respondents with the surname Hemme, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.8%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Hemme 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 Hemme surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.2%
- Hispanic or Latino1.8%
- Two or more races1.2%
- Unknown or suppressed0.8%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Hemme 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 | #30,061 | #31,724 | -5.5% |
| Count | 736 | 728 | -1.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.27 | 0.25 | -7.4% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Hemme bearers went from 736 to 728 (-1.1% change). The surname moved down 1,663 positions in the national ranking, going from #30,061 to #31,724.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Hemme
FAQ
Hemme surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Hemme?
The surname Hemme holds position #31,724 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 857 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.25 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Hemme surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hemme, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.8%) and Two or More Races (1.2%). 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.