Find out how popular the last name Herron is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Herron.

Herron, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Herron surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Herron in America

Herron is the 1328th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Herron surname appeared 26,559 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 9 people would have the surname Herron.

We can also compare 2010 data for Herron to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Herron

The surname Herron is believed to have originated in Ireland, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic word "Oireán," which means "little green." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a small green or meadow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled by monks in the 15th century. These annals mention a person named Amhlaibh Oireán, who lived in the late 12th century.

The surname Herron is also closely linked to the region of County Down in Northern Ireland. Historical records indicate that the name was particularly prevalent in the baronies of Iveagh and Kinelearty, which were once part of the ancient kingdom of Ulaidh.

In the 17th century, during the Plantation of Ulster, many Herrons were among the Scottish and English settlers who were granted land in Ireland. This influx of settlers likely contributed to the further spread and establishment of the surname in the region.

One notable figure from history bearing the Herron surname is Francis Herron (1774-1858), an Irish-born naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. He achieved the rank of Admiral and was knighted for his distinguished service.

Another prominent individual was Robert Herron (1795-1858), an American lawyer and politician from Pennsylvania. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives and was appointed as the first Governor of the Washington Territory in 1853.

In the literary world, there was George D. Herron (1862-1925), an American Christian socialist and author who wrote extensively on social and economic issues. He was also a professor of applied Christianity at Grinnell College in Iowa.

The name Herron has also been associated with several notable figures in the field of sports. One example is Michael Herron (born 1979), a former professional ice hockey player from Canada who played in the National Hockey League for teams like the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers.

Finally, it is worth mentioning Francis J. Herron (1837-1902), a Union Army general who fought in the American Civil War. He played a significant role in several major battles, including the Battle of Stones River and the Battle of Chickamauga.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Herron

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Herron.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Herron was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Herron has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Herron was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Herron, please contact us.

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