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

Hersi, 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 Hersi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hersi in America

Hersi is the 33645th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hersi surname appeared 677 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Hersi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hersi 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 Hersi

The surname HERSI has its origins traced back to Somalia, a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is believed to have emerged sometime during the medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century.

HERSI is derived from the Somali word "hers," which means "lion." The name likely originated as a nickname or a descriptive name for someone who exhibited lion-like qualities, such as strength, courage, or leadership abilities.

Historical records from the region suggest that the HERSI name was particularly prominent among certain Somali clans, including the Daarood and Hawiye clans, which were influential in the area's political and cultural landscape.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the HERSI name can be found in the Arabic travel chronicle of Ibn Battuta, who visited the region in the 14th century. He mentions encountering individuals with the name HERSI during his travels through the Somali territories.

Another notable reference to the HERSI name can be found in the historical text "Futuh Al-Habasha" by Shihab al-Din Ahmad bin 'Abd al-Qader, which chronicles the conflicts between the Somali sultanates and the Ethiopian Empire in the 16th century.

Among the notable individuals who have carried the HERSI surname throughout history:

1. Sayid Muhammad Abdullah Hassan (1856-1920), also known as the "Mad Mullah," was a Somali religious leader and anti-colonial rebel who led a prolonged resistance against British, Italian, and Ethiopian forces in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was from the Daarood clan and bore the surname HERSI.

2. Haji Farah Omar Hersi (1914-1994) was a prominent Somali politician and diplomat who served as the Prime Minister of Somalia from 1964 to 1967. He belonged to the Hawiye clan and carried the HERSI surname.

3. Mohamed Hersi (born 1940) is a Somali scholar and writer who has authored numerous books on Somali history, culture, and literature. He is a member of the HERSI clan and has contributed significantly to the preservation of Somali cultural heritage.

4. Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed (1934-2012), also known as Abdullahi Yusuf Hersi, was a prominent Somali politician who served as the President of Somalia from 2004 to 2008. He was a member of the Daarood clan and carried the HERSI surname.

5. Abdirahman Hersi, a 16th-century Somali poet and scholar, is renowned for his collection of poems and literary works that played a significant role in the development of the Somali language and literature.

The HERSI surname has a rich historical legacy, with its roots deeply embedded in the cultural and political fabric of Somalia. Its origins can be traced back to the medieval period, and it has been associated with influential individuals, clans, and events throughout Somali history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hersi

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

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

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

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