2000
#7,726
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,966
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.47
Rare Last name
Hermes
Derived from the Greek messenger god Hermes, indicating a possible occupational connection to messengers or couriers.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,477 Americans carry the last name Hermes. That puts it at #8,119 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.31 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 76,559 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hermes 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
4.5K
1 in 76,559
Census rank
#8,119
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,904 bearers of the surname Hermes in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.31 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8119th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hermes, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.1%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hermes
The surname Hermes is of Greek origin, derived from the name of the Greek god Hermes, the messenger of the gods and the patron of travelers, merchants, and orators. The name Hermes is believed to have originated from the Greek word "herma," which means a square or rectangular pillar with a carved head of Hermes on top.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Hermes can be traced back to ancient Greece, where it was likely adopted by individuals who were involved in trade, commerce, or communication. The name was later spread across Europe and other parts of the world through Greek migration and cultural influence.
One of the earliest known historical references to the surname Hermes can be found in ancient Greek literature, such as the works of Homer and Hesiod, where the god Hermes is prominently featured. In later centuries, the name appeared in various medieval records and manuscripts, although specific examples are scarce.
One notable individual with the surname Hermes was Trismegistus Hermes, also known as Hermes Trismegistus, who was a legendary figure in ancient Greek and Hellenistic wisdom traditions. He was believed to be the author of the Hermetic Corpus, a collection of philosophical and religious texts that influenced Western esoteric traditions.
Another historical figure with the surname Hermes was Juan Hermes (c. 1480-1521), a Spanish conquistador and explorer who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés. He is known for his role in the Battle of Centla, where he fought against the forces of the Maya civilization.
In the 17th century, the surname Hermes was also associated with the German philosopher and writer Johann Hermes (1598-1662), who was known for his works on logic and philosophy of language. His ideas influenced the development of philosophical thought in Germany during the Enlightenment period.
Closer to modern times, the surname Hermes gained prominence in the fashion industry through the French fashion house Hermès, founded by Thierry Hermes (1801-1878) in 1837. The company is renowned for its luxury goods, including leather goods, accessories, and perfumes, and has become a symbol of French elegance and craftsmanship.
Finally, it is worth mentioning Georges Hermes (1856-1936), a French engineer and industrialist who contributed significantly to the development of the automobile industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was the founder of the Société des Usines Hermes, a company that manufactured high-quality gears and transmissions for automobiles.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hermes
Among Census respondents with the surname Hermes, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.1%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Hermes 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 Hermes surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.3% · 3,565
- Hispanic or Latino4.1% · 162
- Two or more races2.6% · 102
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 41
- Black or African American0.4% · 17
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 17
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hermes
Hermes 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
#7,545
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,407
+441 bearers (+11.1%)
Per 100,000 1.49
Rank movement Up 181 places
2020
#8,119
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,904
-503 bearers (-11.4%)
Per 100,000 1.31
Rank movement Down 574 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,726 | 3,966 | 1.47 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,545 | 4,407 | 1.49 | +441 bearers (+11.1%) | Up 181 places |
| 2020 | #8,119 | 3,904 | 1.31 | -503 bearers (-11.4%) | Down 574 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 Hermes 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 | #7,545 | #8,119 | -7.6% |
| Count | 4,407 | 3,904 | -11.4% |
| Per 100K | 1.49 | 1.31 | -12.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hermes bearers went from 4,407 to 3,904 (-11.4% change). The surname moved down 574 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,545 to #8,119.
FAQ
Hermes surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hermes?
Name Census estimates that about 4,477 living Americans carry the surname Hermes. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 76,559 residents.
How common is Hermes?
Hermes ranks #8,119 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.31 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,904 people with the surname Hermes. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,477), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.31 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.31 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Hermes.
Has Hermes become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hermes went from 4,407 recorded bearers to 3,904. That is a decrease of 503 (-11.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,545 to #8,119.
What does the Census say about the background of Hermes?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hermes, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.1%) and Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Hermes in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.3% (3,565 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hermes appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.3%), Hispanic (4.1%), Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Hermes (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 Hermes mean?
Derived from the Greek messenger god Hermes, indicating a possible occupational connection to messengers or couriers. 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 Hermes (1.31 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 surname Hermes?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.