2000
#746
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 42,091
First available Census row
Per 100,000 15.60
Uncommon Last name
Herman
Derived from the Old German name "Hariman," meaning "army man" or "warrior."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 44,971 Americans carry the last name Herman. That puts it at #868 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 13.12 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 7,622 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Herman 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Herman with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
45K
1 in 7,622
Census rank
#868
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
13.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
39K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 39,217 bearers of the surname Herman in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 13.12 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 868th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Herman, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Black (3.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Herman
The surname Herman has its origins in the Germanic language, deriving from the elements "heri" meaning army and "man" meaning man or person. It was initially a personal name given to a brave or valiant warrior, but over time it transitioned into a hereditary surname.
The earliest known record of the name Herman can be traced back to the 8th century in the Frankish Empire, where it was used as a personal name among the noble class. One of the earliest recorded instances is found in the Annales Regni Francorum, a historical chronicle from the late 8th century, which mentions a nobleman named Herman.
In the 11th century, the surname Herman began to appear more frequently in various regions of present-day Germany and the Netherlands. It is found in the Codex Traditionum Westfalicarum, a collection of medieval charters and documents from Westphalia, Germany.
During the Middle Ages, the name Herman was particularly common in the Rhineland region of Germany. One notable figure was Herman of Reichenau (1013-1054), a Benedictine monk, scholar, and composer from the Abbey of Reichenau. His works included influential treatises on music theory and astronomical calculations.
In the 13th century, the surname Herman gained prominence in the Netherlands, where it was often associated with influential families and individuals. One such example is Herman de Liege (c. 1240-1301), a Flemish architect and sculptor who contributed to the construction of several notable Gothic cathedrals, including the Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp.
In England, the surname Herman can be traced back to the 16th century, likely introduced by immigrants from the Low Countries. One of the earliest recorded instances is William Herman (c. 1535-1598), an English botanist and author of the influential work "The Herbal, or General Historie of Plantes."
Another notable figure with the surname Herman is Johann Herman (1527-1605), a German theologian and one of the authors of the Heidelberg Catechism, a influential Protestant confessional document.
As the surname spread across Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Hermanns, Hermaen, and Hermans, reflecting regional linguistic differences and scribal interpretations.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Herman
Among Census respondents with the surname Herman, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Black (3.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Herman 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 Herman surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.9% · 34,460
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 1,490
- Black or African American3.1% · 1,217
- Two or more races3.1% · 1,201
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.2% · 466
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 383
Timeline
Historical Census data for Herman
Herman 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
#826
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 41,750
-341 bearers (-0.8%)
Per 100,000 14.15
Rank movement Down 80 places
2020
#868
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 39,217
-2,533 bearers (-6.1%)
Per 100,000 13.12
Rank movement Down 42 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #746 | 42,091 | 15.60 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #826 | 41,750 | 14.15 | -341 bearers (-0.8%) | Down 80 places |
| 2020 | #868 | 39,217 | 13.12 | -2,533 bearers (-6.1%) | Down 42 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 Herman 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 | #826 | #868 | -5.1% |
| Count | 41,750 | 39,217 | -6.1% |
| Per 100K | 14.15 | 13.12 | -7.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Herman bearers went from 41,750 to 39,217 (-6.1% change). The surname moved down 42 positions in the national ranking, going from #826 to #868.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Herman
FAQ
Herman surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Herman?
Name Census estimates that about 44,971 living Americans carry the surname Herman. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 7,622 residents.
How common is Herman?
Herman ranks #868 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 13.12 per 100,000 residents, which is about 13 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 39,217 people with the surname Herman. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (44,971), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 13.12 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 13.12 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 13 of them to have the surname Herman.
Has Herman become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Herman went from 41,750 recorded bearers to 39,217. That is a decrease of 2,533 (-6.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #826 to #868.
What does the Census say about the background of Herman?
Among Census respondents with the surname Herman, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Black (3.1%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Herman in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.9% (34,460 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Herman appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.9%), Hispanic (3.8%), Black (3.1%). 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 Herman (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 Herman mean?
Derived from the Old German name "Hariman," meaning "army man" or "warrior." 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 Herman (13.12 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 are called Herman?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Herman on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.