Explore the Family Name Hermes
The meaning of Hermes
1. German and Dutch: patronymic from a short form of the personal name Herman. This surname is also found in France (Lorraine). 2. French (Hermès): topographic name for someone who lived in a deserted spot or on a patch of waste land, from Occitan erm ‘desert, waste’ (from Greek erēmia) + the topographic suffix -ès. 3. French (Hermès): in some cases, possibly also from the personal name Hermès, from Greek Hermēs, the name of a Greek god and also of a Christian saint mentioned briefly in Paul’s Epistle to the Romans.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Hermes in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Hermes has shown a rise in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked at 7726 but improved its standing to 7545 by the year 2010, demonstrating a 2.34% increase. When looking at the count of people with this surname, there was an 11.12% increase from 3966 in 2000 to 4407 in 2010. The proportion per 100,000 people also saw a slight boost, moving from 1.47 in 2000 to 1.49 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,726 | #7,545 | 2.34% |
| Count | 3,966 | 4,407 | 11.12% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.47 | 1.49 | 1.36% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Hermes
The ethnic identity attached to the surname Hermes also underwent changes between 2000 and 2010 as per the Decennial U.S. Census. The majority of individuals with this surname identify as White, with 95.81% in 2000 and 94.92% in 2010, despite a minor decrease. The Hispanic ethnicity experienced the most significant growth, going up by 60.94% from 1.92% to 3.09%. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, and American Indian and Alaskan Native all decreased. On the other hand, those identifying as Black experienced a modest increase from 0.38% to 0.41%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.81% | 94.92% | -0.93% |
| Hispanic | 1.92% | 3.09% | 60.94% |
| Two or More Races | 1.11% | 0.95% | -14.41% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.63% | 0.5% | -20.63% |
| Black | 0.38% | 0.41% | 7.89% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.15% | 0.14% | -6.67% |
Hermes 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 Hermes is French & German, which comprises 41.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (32.6%) and Eastern European (8.0%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, Italian, Indigenous American, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 41.5% |
| British & Irish | 32.6% |
| Eastern European | 8.0% |
| Other | 17.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Hermes
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 Hermes have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 73.20% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 73.20% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 73.20% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 72.40% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 72.40% |
What Hermes 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 Hermes is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-Z60 and I-Z58, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Childs, Berner, Bear, Fey, Brooker, Sheaffer, Crim, Crooks, Aston, Crider.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Hermes surname are: H1, N, 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 Hermes 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.
"Hermes" Surname 34.2%
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.
"Hermes" Surname 25.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Hermes" Surname 24.1%
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.
"Hermes" Surname 25.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Hermes?
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 Hermes are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition