Explore the Family Name Heard
The meaning of Heard
English: occupational name from Middle English herd(e), hird(e), hord(e), Older Scots herd, hird ‘herdsman’, i.e. one who looked after cattle, sheep, or goats (Old English heorde, hierde). Compare Hardman.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Heard in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Heard has seen a slight decline from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it ranked as the 1469th most popular surname, while by 2010 it had slipped to the 1534th position, marking a change of -4.42 percent. However, in terms of count, there was an increase of 5.39 percent, with the number of individuals bearing the surname rising from 22,211 in 2000 to 23,408 in 2010. The proportion per 100,000 people with this surname also decreased slightly during this period, moving from 8.23 to 7.94, a change of -3.52 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,469 | #1,534 | -4.42% |
| Count | 22,211 | 23,408 | 5.39% |
| Proportion per 100k | 8.23 | 7.94 | -3.52% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Heard
Regarding ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the Heard surname is predominantly associated with individuals identifying as Black, White, and those who identify with two or more races. From 2000 to 2010, those identifying as Black increased slightly from 53.70 percent to 54.52 percent, while those identifying as White decreased somewhat from 42.30 percent to 39.13 percent. There was significant growth within those identifying with two or more races, increasing by 56.50 percent to reach 3.13 percent in 2010. Though smaller in numbers, the Hispanic population with the Heard surname saw the most substantial growth, increasing by 76.09 percent. The percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native also saw moderate growth.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 53.7% | 54.52% | 1.53% |
| White | 42.3% | 39.13% | -7.49% |
| Two or More Races | 2% | 3.13% | 56.5% |
| Hispanic | 1.38% | 2.43% | 76.09% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.3% | 0.4% | 33.33% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.32% | 0.4% | 25% |
Heard ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Heard is British & Irish, which comprises 50.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (16.8%) and Nigerian (7.8%). Additional ancestries include Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, Angolan & Congolese, Eastern European, Italian, and Spanish & Portuguese.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 50.7% |
| French & German | 16.8% |
| Nigerian | 7.8% |
| Other | 24.7% |
Possible origins of the surname Heard
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Heard have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 73.70% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 73.50% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 73.50% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 73.20% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 72.90% |
What Heard haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Heard is E-L677, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup E-L677 is descended from haplogroup E-M96. Other common haplogroups include E-P252 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with Sub-Saharan African and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Klassen, Herd, Staub, Edge, Fitzgerald, Plotkin, Watts, Ramsay, Montano, Saad.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Heard surname are: H1, J1c, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins E-M96
Your paternal lineage may be linked to trans-Mediterranean migrants
Some of the early members of E-L677 completed a large, trans-Mediterranean migration directly from Africa as early as 11,000 years ago. This large migration is probably why haplogroup E1b1b1a1b2 is fairly common among people from both northern Africa and the Mediterranean region. During a more recent migration, haplogroup E1b1b1a1b2 probably spread from northern Africa to eastern Africa along the Nile River. The migrations of haplogroup E1b1b1a1b2 through Africa and Europe have resulted in its present-day widespread distribution throughout northern and eastern Africa, western Asia, and the Mediterranean.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Heard have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Heard" Surname 37.6%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Heard" Surname 24.2%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Heard" Surname 21.8%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Heard" Surname 16.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Heard?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Heard are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition