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

Hershman, 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 Hershman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hershman in America

Hershman is the 13259th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hershman surname appeared 2,302 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 Hershman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hershman 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 Hershman

The surname HERSHMAN is of German origin, derived from the German word "Hirsch" meaning "deer" or "stag." It likely originated in the Middle Ages, around the 13th to 15th centuries, as a descriptive surname given to someone who lived near a deer park or forest, or perhaps someone who worked as a huntsman or gamekeeper.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the town records of Augsburg, Germany, where a certain Hans Herschman is mentioned in 1467. The name also appears in various forms, such as Hirschmann, Hirschman, and Herschmann, in medieval German documents and records.

In the 16th century, a notable figure with the name was Johannes Herschman, a German Protestant theologian and author who lived from 1518 to 1584. He was known for his writings on religious reformation and his involvement in the Protestant movement.

As the name spread across Germany and neighboring regions, it took on different spellings and variations, often reflecting local dialects and pronunciations. For example, in the 18th century, a family named Herschmann was recorded in the town of Neustadt an der Weinstraße in the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany.

Another notable bearer of the name was Carl Herschman, a German-born American businessman and philanthropist who lived from 1853 to 1932. He made his fortune in the tobacco industry and was known for his charitable contributions to various causes, including education and healthcare.

In the 19th century, the name made its way to other parts of Europe and the Americas through immigration. One such individual was Jakob Hershman, who was born in Alsace, France (then part of Germany) in 1821 and later emigrated to the United States, settling in Pennsylvania.

While the name HERSHMAN is not as common as some other German surnames, it has a rich history dating back several centuries and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, businessmen, and immigrants seeking new opportunities in different parts of the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hershman

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

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

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

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