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

Herst, 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 Herst surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Herst in America

Herst is the 59017th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Herst surname appeared 343 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 Herst.

We can also compare 2010 data for Herst 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 Herst

The surname HERST originated in England during the late medieval period, likely derived from the Old English word "hyrst," meaning a wooded hill or copse. This name has strong ties to the county of Sussex, particularly in the areas surrounding the settlements of Hurst Green and Hurstpierpoint.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the HERST surname appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, where a Thomas de la Hurst is mentioned. This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a locational identifier, referring to someone who lived near a wooded hill or copse.

In the 14th century, the HERST name is found in various Sussex manor records, such as the Court Rolls of the Manor of Brightling in 1332, which mentions a John atte Hurst. This spelling variation, with the preposition "atte" (meaning "at the"), further reinforces the locational origin of the surname.

The Domesday Book, the great survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not explicitly mention the HERST surname. However, it does record numerous place names containing the element "hyrst," indicating the presence of wooded hills or copses in various parts of the country.

Notable individuals bearing the HERST surname throughout history include:

1. Sir John Hurst (c. 1501-1553), an English judge and Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench during the reign of Edward VI.
2. Henry Hurst (1629-1690), an English clergyman and writer who served as Bishop of Worcester.
3. Richard Hurst (1701-1768), a British merchant and slave trader who was involved in the establishment of the Colony of Georgia.
4. Charles Hurst (1792-1860), an English architect and surveyor known for his work on various churches and public buildings in London.
5. Walter Hurst (1892-1986), an American novelist and short story writer best known for his novel "The Californians."

While the HERST surname has its roots in the English county of Sussex, it has since spread to other parts of the British Isles and beyond, carried by individuals who migrated or were part of various historical migrations and settlements.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Herst

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

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

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

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