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

Hersh, 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 Hersh surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hersh in America

Hersh is the 9104th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hersh surname appeared 3,589 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Hersh.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hersh 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 Hersh

The surname Hersh has its origins in the German language, with the earliest known records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the word "Hersh," which translates to "stag" or "deer" in German. This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive nickname or occupational surname to individuals who worked with deer or in forestry.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hersh can be found in the town records of Nuremberg, Germany, from the year 1567. The entry mentions a Johann Hersh, who was a farmer in the region. Additionally, a document from the city of Heidelberg in 1591 references a merchant named Hans Hersh, indicating the name's presence in different parts of Germany during that time period.

In the 17th century, the Hersh surname began to appear in various church records and parish registers across German-speaking regions. For example, the baptismal record of a child named Anna Hersh was found in the town of Freiburg im Breisgau in 1622. This suggests that the name had become more widespread and established as a family name by that point.

One notable figure bearing the Hersh surname was Johann Hersh, a renowned clockmaker born in Augsburg, Germany, in 1678. His intricate timepieces were renowned for their craftsmanship and precision, and he is considered a pioneer in the field of German clockmaking.

As the Hersh family migrated to other parts of Europe and eventually to the Americas, the spelling of the name underwent slight variations. In some records from the 18th century, it appeared as "Hersch" or "Herschel," likely influenced by regional dialects and scribal variations.

Another noteworthy individual with the Hersh surname was Friedrich Hersh, a German philosopher and writer who lived from 1768 to 1835. He was known for his writings on ethics and morality, which gained him recognition in the intellectual circles of his time.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the Hersh name can be traced back to Jacob Hersh, who arrived in Pennsylvania from Germany in 1753. He and his family settled in the Lancaster County area, where they established themselves as farmers and contributed to the local community.

Over the centuries, the Hersh surname has been associated with various occupations, including farmers, merchants, artisans, and professionals in various fields. While the name's prevalence may have varied across different regions, its German roots and connection to the word "deer" or "stag" have remained a consistent part of its etymology and historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hersh

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

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 Hersh 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 Hersh 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 Hersh was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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