2000
#2,759
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,002
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.45
Uncommon Last name
Herrick
English occupational surname for a maker of agricultural tools or implements, derived from Middle English "heyrick" meaning hayrick or haystack.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 13,195 Americans carry the last name Herrick. That puts it at #3,051 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.85 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 25,976 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Herrick 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 Herrick with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
13K
1 in 25,976
Census rank
#3,051
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
12K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 11,507 bearers of the surname Herrick in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.85 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3051st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Herrick, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Herrick
The surname Herrick has its origins in England, stemming from the Anglo-Saxon era. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "heric," which means "army" or "warrior." The name likely referred to someone who was a skilled fighter or soldier.
Variations of the spelling include Herrick, Herick, Heyrick, and Hayrick. These different spellings can be found in historical records throughout various regions of England, particularly in the counties of Leicestershire, Gloucestershire, and Devon.
One of the earliest known references to the Herrick name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Heric" in this historical document.
During the 13th century, the name Herrick was associated with several notable individuals. For instance, Robert Herrick (c. 1215-1289) was a prominent landowner and knight from Leicestershire. Another early bearer of the name was William Herrick (c. 1250-1315), who was a member of the gentry in Gloucestershire.
The 16th and 17th centuries saw the rise of several influential figures with the Herrick surname. Robert Herrick (1591-1674) was a renowned English lyric poet and cleric who is best known for his collection of poems titled "Hesperides." His works celebrated love, religion, and pastoral themes.
Another notable individual was Sir William Herrick (1557-1653), who was a prominent Member of Parliament and served as a diplomat during the reign of King James I. He played a significant role in negotiating treaties and maintaining diplomatic relations with various European countries.
In the 18th century, Ebeneezer Herrick (1705-1781) was a respected minister and educator who served as the first president of the University of New Hampshire. He was instrumental in the establishment and development of the institution.
During the 19th century, James Herrick (1794-1873) was a celebrated American poet and author who wrote extensively about nature and rural life. His works, such as "The Hermit of the Nonantum Hills," showcased his talent for descriptive and introspective poetry.
Throughout history, the Herrick surname has been associated with various locations and place names. For example, the village of Herrick in Leicestershire, England, is believed to have derived its name from the surname itself.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Herrick
Among Census respondents with the surname Herrick, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Herrick 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 Herrick surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.3% · 10,507
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 402
- Two or more races3.4% · 386
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 106
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 66
- Black or African American0.3% · 40
Timeline
Historical Census data for Herrick
Herrick 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
#2,940
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,202
+200 bearers (+1.7%)
Per 100,000 4.14
Rank movement Down 181 places
2020
#3,051
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,507
-695 bearers (-5.7%)
Per 100,000 3.85
Rank movement Down 111 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,759 | 12,002 | 4.45 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,940 | 12,202 | 4.14 | +200 bearers (+1.7%) | Down 181 places |
| 2020 | #3,051 | 11,507 | 3.85 | -695 bearers (-5.7%) | Down 111 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 Herrick 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 | #2,940 | #3,051 | -3.8% |
| Count | 12,202 | 11,507 | -5.7% |
| Per 100K | 4.14 | 3.85 | -7.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Herrick bearers went from 12,202 to 11,507 (-5.7% change). The surname moved down 111 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,940 to #3,051.
FAQ
Herrick surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Herrick?
Name Census estimates that about 13,195 living Americans carry the surname Herrick. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 25,976 residents.
How common is Herrick?
Herrick ranks #3,051 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.85 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 11,507 people with the surname Herrick. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (13,195), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.85 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.85 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 Herrick.
Has Herrick become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Herrick went from 12,202 recorded bearers to 11,507. That is a decrease of 695 (-5.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,940 to #3,051.
What does the Census say about the background of Herrick?
Among Census respondents with the surname Herrick, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Herrick in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.3% (10,507 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Herrick appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.3%), Hispanic (3.5%), Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Herrick (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 Herrick mean?
English occupational surname for a maker of agricultural tools or implements, derived from Middle English "heyrick" meaning hayrick or haystack. 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 Herrick (3.85 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 share the surname Herrick?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.