2000
#2,663
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,466
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.62
Uncommon Last name
Herr
A German occupational surname referring to a man of high social standing, such as a lord or master.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 13,557 Americans carry the last name Herr. That puts it at #2,974 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.96 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 25,282 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Herr 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 Herr with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
14K
1 in 25,282
Census rank
#2,974
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
12K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 11,822 bearers of the surname Herr in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.96 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2974th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Herr, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.3%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (8.8%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Herr
The surname Herr originates from Germany, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the German word "Herr," which means "lord" or "master." The name was initially used as a title of respect and often referred to men who held positions of authority or owned land.
In the early medieval period, the Herr surname was primarily found in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony, where it was commonly associated with noble families or landowners. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th and 14th centuries, appearing in various legal documents and local records.
One notable historical reference to the Herr name can be found in the Nibelungenlied, a famous German epic poem dating back to around 1200 AD. In this epic, the character Hagen von Tronje is referred to as "Herr Hagen," indicating his status as a respected warrior and nobleman.
During the 15th and 16th centuries, the Herr surname began to spread more widely throughout Germany, as families migrated and settled in different regions. It was also during this period that variations of the spelling emerged, such as Herren, Herre, and Herrich.
One notable individual bearing the Herr surname was Hans Herr (1639-1725), a Mennonite leader and one of the first permanent settlers in present-day Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He and his family were among the early German immigrants to colonial America, seeking religious freedom.
Another prominent figure was Johann Friedrich Herr (1700-1773), a German historian and theologian who served as a professor at the University of Heidelberg. His works included a comprehensive history of the Palatinate region and various theological treatises.
In the 19th century, the Herr surname gained further recognition with individuals like Michael Herr (1840-1917), a German-American businessman and politician who served as the 25th Governor of Indiana from 1893 to 1897.
Additionally, the name was associated with the German philosopher and writer, Hans Herr (1865-1935), who was known for his works on ethics and social philosophy, as well as his contributions to the development of Anthroposophy.
One of the more contemporary figures with the Herr surname was Michael Herr (1940-2016), an American writer and former war correspondent known for his acclaimed book "Dispatches," which chronicled his experiences during the Vietnam War.
Throughout its history, the Herr surname has maintained a strong connection to its German roots, reflecting the linguistic and cultural heritage of its origins. While the name has spread worldwide, it remains a testament to the enduring legacy of medieval German nobility and the enduring impact of language on the formation of surnames.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Herr
Among Census respondents with the surname Herr, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.3%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (8.8%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Herr 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 Herr surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.3% · 10,090
- Asian and Pacific Islander8.8% · 1,037
- Two or more races2.8% · 331
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 310
- Black or African American0.3% · 39
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 15
Timeline
Historical Census data for Herr
Herr 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
#2,990
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,980
-486 bearers (-3.9%)
Per 100,000 4.06
Rank movement Down 327 places
2020
#2,974
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,822
-158 bearers (-1.3%)
Per 100,000 3.96
Rank movement Up 16 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,663 | 12,466 | 4.62 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,990 | 11,980 | 4.06 | -486 bearers (-3.9%) | Down 327 places |
| 2020 | #2,974 | 11,822 | 3.96 | -158 bearers (-1.3%) | Up 16 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 Herr 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 | #2,990 | #2,974 | 0.5% |
| Count | 11,980 | 11,822 | -1.3% |
| Per 100K | 4.06 | 3.96 | -2.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Herr bearers went from 11,980 to 11,822 (-1.3% change). The surname moved up 16 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,990 to #2,974.
FAQ
Herr surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Herr?
Name Census estimates that about 13,557 living Americans carry the surname Herr. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 25,282 residents.
How common is Herr?
Herr ranks #2,974 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.96 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 11,822 people with the surname Herr. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (13,557), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.96 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.96 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Herr.
Has Herr become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Herr went from 11,980 recorded bearers to 11,822. That is a decrease of 158 (-1.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #2,990 to #2,974.
What does the Census say about the background of Herr?
Among Census respondents with the surname Herr, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.3%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (8.8%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Herr in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.3% (10,090 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Herr appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.3%), Asian/Pacific Islander (8.8%), Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Herr (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 Herr mean?
A German occupational surname referring to a man of high social standing, such as a lord or master. 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 Herr (3.96 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 Herr?
Want to know how many Americans have the surname Herr? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.