2000
#120,330
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 133
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Herns
A topographic surname derived from a place name containing the word "hern", meaning a heron.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Herns. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Herns 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Herns in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Herns, the largest self-reported group is Black at 53.3%. The next largest groups are White (25.8%) and Hispanic (17.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Herns
The surname HERNS is of English origin, with its roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "haren," which translates to "heron," a type of wading bird found in marshlands and wetlands.
During the Middle Ages, it was common practice for people to adopt surnames derived from occupations, physical characteristics, or geographic locations. In the case of HERNS, it is likely that the name was initially bestowed upon an individual who resided near a heron habitat or was associated with the hunting or breeding of these birds.
The earliest recorded instance of the HERNS surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire, dated 1195, where a certain Roger de Hernes is mentioned. This document provides valuable insight into the name's evolution and its presence in medieval England.
Another notable reference to the HERNS name can be found in the Rotuli Hundredorum, a census-like record compiled during the reign of King Edward I in the late 13th century. In this document, a Thomas Herne is listed as a landowner in the county of Oxfordshire.
Over the centuries, the surname HERNS has undergone various spelling variations, including Herne, Heron, and Herons. These variations reflect the fluidity of language and the influence of regional dialects during different time periods.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the HERNS surname was John Herne, a prominent English merchant and politician who lived from 1470 to 1522. He served as the Lord Mayor of London and was a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named William Herne (1542-1605) rose to prominence as a renowned English historian and antiquarian. He authored several works on the history of Essex and was recognized for his contributions to the preservation of historical records.
During the 17th century, the HERNS surname gained further recognition with the birth of Thomas Herne (1629-1693), an English clergyman and scholar. He served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford and was a dedicated collector of manuscripts and rare books.
Another significant individual bearing the HERNS surname was George Herne (1727-1802), a renowned English landscape painter and etcher. His works captured the beauty of the English countryside and contributed to the development of the picturesque movement in art.
In the 19th century, the HERNS surname was further perpetuated by Henry Herns (1819-1891), a successful English industrialist and philanthropist. He made significant contributions to the development of the cotton industry in Lancashire and was known for his charitable endeavors.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Herns
Among Census respondents with the surname Herns, the largest self-reported group is Black at 53.3%. The next largest groups are White (25.8%) and Hispanic (17.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Herns 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 Herns surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American53.3% · 64
- White25.8% · 31
- Hispanic or Latino17.5% · 21
- Two or more races2.5% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Herns
Herns 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
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
-33 bearers (-24.8%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 40,645 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+20 bearers (+20.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 18,926 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #120,330 | 133 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | -33 bearers (-24.8%) | Down 40,645 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +20 bearers (+20.0%) | Up 18,926 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 Herns 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 | #160,975 | #142,049 | 11.8% |
| Count | 100 | 120 | 20.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 33.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Herns bearers went from 100 to 120 (+20.0% change). The surname moved up 18,926 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #142,049.
FAQ
Herns surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Herns?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Herns. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Herns?
Herns ranks #142,049 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 120 people with the surname Herns. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Herns.
Has Herns become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Herns went from 100 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 20 (+20.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Herns?
Among Census respondents with the surname Herns, the largest self-reported group is Black at 53.3%. The next largest groups are White (25.8%) and Hispanic (17.5%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Herns in the 2020 Census, accounting for 53.3% (64 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Herns appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (53.3%), White (25.8%), Hispanic (17.5%). 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 Herns (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 Herns mean?
A topographic surname derived from a place name containing the word "hern", meaning a heron. 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 Herns (0.04 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 Americans have the surname Herns?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.