Explore the Family Name Herbst
The meaning of Herbst
1. German: nickname from Middle High German herb(e)st ‘harvest’. The modern German word Herbst has come to mean ‘fall’, the time of year when the harvest takes place. The exact application of the nickname is not clear; perhaps it referred to a peasant who had certain obligations to his master at the time of the harvest, or it may have been acquired for some other anecdotal reason which is now lost. This surname is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine), Poland, Czechia, Croatia, and Slovenia. In part, it is a Gottscheerish (i.e. Gottschee German) surname, originating from the Kočevsko region in Lower Carniola, Slovenia (see Kocevar). 2. Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name from German Herbst ‘fall’, perhaps reflecting the season when the name was first taken or given. In some cases it seems to have been one of the group of names referring to the seasons that were distributed at random by government officials when surnames became compulsory. Compare Fruhling, Winter, and Summer.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Herbst in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Herbst has seen a slight decrease in popularity over the years. In 2000, it was ranked at 4028 and by 2010, it was at rank 4208, reflecting a decrease of 4.47%. However, the actual count of individuals with this surname increased from 8093 to 8419 which is a growth of 4.03%. This indicates that while the surname may not be as popular, the number of people bearing the name has grown. The proportion per 100k population also fell by 5% from 3.0 to 2.85.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,028 | #4,208 | -4.47% |
| Count | 8,093 | 8,419 | 4.03% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3 | 2.85 | -5% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Herbst
When it comes to the ethnic identities associated with the Herbst surname, there have been some notable changes between 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census. The largest group remains those who identify as White, although their proportion decreased slightly from 97.27% to 96.23%. There has been an increase in the number of individuals identifying as Hispanic, rising from 1.14% to 1.91%, a significant change of 67.54%. People identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander also saw an increase from 0.42% to 0.57%. Those identifying as two or more races, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native also saw increases, albeit smaller ones.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.27% | 96.23% | -1.07% |
| Hispanic | 1.14% | 1.91% | 67.54% |
| Two or More Races | 0.79% | 0.88% | 11.39% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.42% | 0.57% | 35.71% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.21% | 0.23% | 9.52% |
| Black | 0.17% | 0.18% | 5.88% |
Herbst 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 Herbst is French & German, which comprises 37.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (28.4%) and Ashkenazi Jewish (8.7%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 37.5% |
| British & Irish | 28.4% |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 8.7% |
| Other | 25.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Herbst
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 Herbst have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 63.60% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 63.60% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 63.60% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 63.60% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 63.10% |
What Herbst 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 Herbst is R-L48, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L48 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include E-M5021 and I-L460, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Pfeiffer, Jaeger, Jansen, Jacobsen, Schumacher, Kline, Krebs, Graf, Weis, Schafer.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Herbst surname are: H1, K1a, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
Your paternal lineage may be linked to King Louis XVI
The rule of France by men of the House of Bourbon began with King Henri IV in 1589 C.E. and continued until the beheading of his direct paternal descendant King Louis XVI in 1793. Several years ago, researchers analyzed a mummified head and a blood-soaked cloth that they believed might belong to the two kings, and concluded that the royal paternal line belonged to haplogroup G. In a more recent study, however, a different set of researchers tested three living men who are direct descendants of the Bourbon kings. Their efforts revealed that the male lineage of the House of Bourbon is actually a branch of haplogroup R-M405.
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 Herbst 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.
"Herbst" Surname 47.1%
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.
"Herbst" Surname 32.7%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Herbst" Surname 16.0%
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.
"Herbst" Surname 16.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Herbst?
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 Herbst are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition