2000
#3,159
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,434
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.87
Uncommon Last name
Her
A surname of French origin, derived from the Germanic personal name Hariwald, meaning "army ruler."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 19,592 Americans carry the last name Her. That puts it at #2,062 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 5.72 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 17,495 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Her surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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
20K
1 in 17,495
Census rank
#2,062
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
5.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
17K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 17,085 bearers of the surname Her in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 5.72 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2062nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Her, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.7%. The next largest groups are White (2.1%) and Hispanic (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Her
The surname "HER" is of German origin, with records indicating its presence in the region as early as the 12th century. The name is derived from the Old High German word "heri," which translates to "army" or "warrior." This suggests that the name may have originally been assigned to individuals who were part of a military force or had a reputation for their bravery in battle.
One of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of medieval documents from Saxony, dating back to the year 1190. This text mentions a nobleman named Henricus Her, who was granted land and privileges by the local ruler.
In the 14th century, the name appears in various town records and tax rolls across Germany, particularly in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony. One notable example is Johannes Her, a merchant from Nuremberg who is mentioned in a trade agreement from 1367.
During the 16th century, the surname gained prominence with the rise of the Protestant Reformation. Martin Her (1490-1551), a Lutheran theologian and close associate of Martin Luther, played a crucial role in the spread of Protestantism in Germany.
Another influential figure bearing the name was Johann Her (1522-1586), a renowned cartographer and mathematician from Saxony. His detailed maps and navigational charts were widely used by explorers and traders during the Age of Discovery.
In the 18th century, the name gained recognition in the field of music with the composer and organist Johann Friedrich Her (1701-1765). His compositions for organ and harpsichord were highly regarded during his lifetime and are still studied by musicians today.
Moving into the 19th century, the name gained literary significance with the writer and philosopher Ludwig Her (1825-1895). His philosophical works, particularly his critique of traditional metaphysics, had a significant impact on the intellectual discourse of the time.
Throughout history, the surname "HER" has been associated with various professions, from military leaders and merchants to scholars and artists. While the name's origins can be traced back to medieval Germany, its legacy has spread across Europe and beyond, reflecting the diverse contributions of those who have borne this distinctive surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Her
Among Census respondents with the surname Her, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.7%. The next largest groups are White (2.1%) and Hispanic (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Her bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Her surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander94.7% · 16,178
- White2.1% · 355
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 312
- Two or more races0.9% · 154
- Black or African American0.4% · 70
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 16
Timeline
Historical Census data for Her
Her appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#2,404
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 15,089
+4,655 bearers (+44.6%)
Per 100,000 5.12
Rank movement Up 755 places
2020
#2,062
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 17,085
+1,996 bearers (+13.2%)
Per 100,000 5.72
Rank movement Up 342 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,159 | 10,434 | 3.87 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,404 | 15,089 | 5.12 | +4,655 bearers (+44.6%) | Up 755 places |
| 2020 | #2,062 | 17,085 | 5.72 | +1,996 bearers (+13.2%) | Up 342 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Her surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,404 | #2,062 | 14.2% |
| Count | 15,089 | 17,085 | 13.2% |
| Per 100K | 5.12 | 5.72 | 11.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Her bearers went from 15,089 to 17,085 (+13.2% change). The surname moved up 342 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,404 to #2,062.
FAQ
Her surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Her?
Name Census estimates that about 19,592 living Americans carry the surname Her. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 17,495 residents.
How common is Her?
Her ranks #2,062 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 5.72 per 100,000 residents, which is about 6 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 17,085 people with the surname Her. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (19,592), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 5.72 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 5.72 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 6 of them to have the surname Her.
Has Her become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Her went from 15,089 recorded bearers to 17,085. That is an increase of 1,996 (+13.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #2,404 to #2,062.
What does the Census say about the background of Her?
Among Census respondents with the surname Her, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.7%. The next largest groups are White (2.1%) and Hispanic (1.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Her in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.7% (16,178 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Her appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (94.7%), White (2.1%), Hispanic (1.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Her (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Her mean?
A surname of French origin, derived from the Germanic personal name Hariwald, meaning "army ruler." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Her (5.72 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Her?
Find out how many people have the surname Her on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.