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

Heritage, 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 Heritage surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Heritage in America

Heritage is the 22791st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Heritage surname appeared 1,124 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 Heritage.

We can also compare 2010 data for Heritage 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 Heritage

The surname Heritage is of English origin and can be traced back to the late 16th century. It is derived from the Old English word "heritance," which means inheritance or heritage. The name is believed to have originated in the counties of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, where it was first recorded.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Heritage can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Derbyshire from 1598, which list a John Heritage as a resident of the village of Ashbourne. The name is also mentioned in the Parish Registers of Nottinghamshire from the early 17th century.

The surname Heritage is believed to have originated as a occupational name, referring to someone who was responsible for managing or overseeing an inheritance or estate. It is possible that the name was initially used as a descriptive term for individuals who had inherited property or land.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the surname Heritage was most prevalent in the Midlands region of England, particularly in the counties of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and Leicestershire. During this period, several notable individuals bearing the name emerged.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Heritage was Robert Heritage (1596-1678), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Rempstone in Nottinghamshire. Another notable figure was William Heritage (1661-1733), a prominent banker and Member of Parliament for the borough of Derby.

In the 19th century, the name Heritage began to spread across England and into other parts of the United Kingdom. One notable individual from this era was John Heritage (1797-1870), a wealthy industrialist and philanthropist from Derbyshire who founded the Heritage Brewery in the town of Alfreton.

Another significant figure was Richard Heritage (1848-1917), a British architect and designer who played a key role in the development of the Arts and Crafts movement in England. He is best known for his work on the Whitechapel Art Gallery in London.

As the surname Heritage spread across the English-speaking world, it also gained prominence in other countries. One notable individual was George Heritage (1853-1919), a Canadian politician and businessman who served as a Member of Parliament for the riding of West York in Ontario.

Overall, the surname Heritage has a rich history that can be traced back to the late 16th century in England. Its origins are deeply rooted in the concept of inheritance and legacy, reflecting the importance of land ownership and generational wealth in the country's past.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Heritage

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!