Explore the Family Name Hearn
The meaning of Hearn
1. Irish (Waterford and Kilkenny): shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó hEachthighearna ‘descendant of Eachthighearna’, a personal name meaning ‘lord of horses’, from each ‘horse’ + tighearna ‘master, lord’. 2. English: topographic name from Middle English herne, hirne, or hurne, from Old English hyrne ‘nook or corner of land’ (i.e. an out-of-the-way, secluded place) or ‘bend of a river’. The name may also be habitational, from Herne (Kent), Hurn (Dorset), or Hirn (Hampshire), with the same etymology as the topographic term. In post-medieval English pronunciation the three forms have converged and the spellings become interchangeable. Hurn may sometimes have been pronounced and spelled the same as the surname Horn. 3. English: habitational name from Herne in Tottington, Bedfordshire, so called from the dative plural (originally used after a preposition) of Old English hær ‘stone’, i.e. ‘at the stones’. 4. English: variant of Herron.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Hearn in the United States?
Based on the data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Hearn witnessed a slight decline between 2000 and 2010. While the rank of the name slipped by 5.07% from 2270 to 2385, the count or the number of people bearing the name saw a marginal increase of 3.77% from 14,680 to 15,234. Consequently, the proportion of this surname per 100,000 people dipped by 5.15%, moving from 5.44 in 2000 to 5.16 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,270 | #2,385 | -5.07% |
| Count | 14,680 | 15,234 | 3.77% |
| Proportion per 100k | 5.44 | 5.16 | -5.15% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Hearn
When it comes to the ethnic identity associated with the name Hearn, the Decennial U.S. Census data demonstrates some shifts over the decade. The percentage of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and those claiming two or more races both saw significant increases of 58.54% and 59.66% respectively. Meanwhile, the Hispanic representation also expanded by 32.24%. The White population with this surname decreased slightly by 2.10%, though it still represents the majority at 75.88% in 2010. The Black population holding this surname saw a minute increase of 0.43%, whereas the American Indian and Alaskan Native group remained steady.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 77.51% | 75.88% | -2.1% |
| Black | 18.72% | 18.8% | 0.43% |
| Hispanic | 1.83% | 2.42% | 32.24% |
| Two or More Races | 1.19% | 1.9% | 59.66% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.41% | 0.65% | 58.54% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.35% | 0.35% | 0% |
Hearn 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 Hearn is British & Irish, which comprises 58.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (20.5%) and Eastern European (4.3%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Nigerian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean.
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 | 58.0% |
| French & German | 20.5% |
| Eastern European | 4.3% |
| Other | 17.2% |
Possible origins of the surname Hearn
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 Hearn have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 90.40% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 90.40% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 90.20% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 90.20% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 90.20% |
What Hearn 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 Hearn is R-L20, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L20 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and E-M180, which are predominantly found among people with European and Sub-Saharan African ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Britton, Waldron, Love, Dexter, Whitlock, Manley, Laney, Mercier, Brittain, Coons.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Hearn surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your 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 Hearn 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.
"Hearn" Surname 47.7%
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.
"Hearn" Surname 22.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Hearn" Surname 25.0%
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.
"Hearn" Surname 12.9%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Hearn?
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 Hearn are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition