Explore the Family Name Heck
The meaning of Heck
1. South German: topographic name from Middle High German hecke, hegge ‘hedge’. This surname is common in southern Germany and the Rhineland, and is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine). 2. Dutch: topographic name from Middle Dutch heck ‘fence, gate’. Compare Van Hecke. 3. English: topographic name for someone who lived by a gate or ‘hatch’ (especially one leading into a forest), northern Middle English heck (Old English hæcce). Compare Hatch.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Heck in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Heck has seen a slight decrease over the past decade. In 2000, it was ranked as the 2415th most popular surname, but by 2010, it had slipped to the 2580th spot, representing a drop of 6.83%. Despite this, the actual count of individuals with the Heck surname increased from 13,744 in 2000 to 13,995 in 2010, an overall growth of 1.83%. However, its proportion per 100,000 people declined by 6.88%, from 5.09 to 4.74.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,415 | #2,580 | -6.83% |
| Count | 13,744 | 13,995 | 1.83% |
| Proportion per 100k | 5.09 | 4.74 | -6.88% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Heck
In terms of ethnic identity, the Heck surname exhibits some notable shifts according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The majority of those bearing the Heck surname identified as White, accounting for 94.61% in 2000 and 93.05% in 2010. However, there was a significant rise in the proportion of Heck individuals identifying as Hispanic, with an increase of 68.42% from 2000 to 2010. This was the largest change among all ethnicities. The number of Heck individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander also saw a substantial boost of 48.78%. The percentage of individuals reporting two or more races, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native identities rose modestly, at rates of 17.65%, 7.65%, and 15.63% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.61% | 93.05% | -1.65% |
| Hispanic | 1.33% | 2.24% | 68.42% |
| Black | 1.83% | 1.97% | 7.65% |
| Two or More Races | 1.19% | 1.4% | 17.65% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.64% | 0.74% | 15.63% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.41% | 0.61% | 48.78% |
Heck 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 Heck is British & Irish, which comprises 39.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (37.7%) and Eastern European (5.2%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Scandinavian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, and Korean.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 39.4% |
| French & German | 37.7% |
| Eastern European | 5.2% |
| Other | 17.7% |
Possible origins of the surname Heck
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 Heck have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 79.50% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 79.50% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 79.50% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 79.50% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 79.20% |
What Heck 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 Heck is R-U152, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-U152 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-Z19 and R-M405, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Schmitz, Weber, Meier, Meyer, Keller, Kruse, Christiansen, Miller, Kohler, Myers.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Heck surname are: H1, H3, 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 Heck 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.
"Heck" Surname 39.6%
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.
"Heck" Surname 26.9%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Heck" Surname 32.4%
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.
"Heck" Surname 18.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Heck?
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 Heck are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition