Explore the Family Name Herrick

The meaning of Herrick

1. English: from the Old Norse personal name Eiríkr, Old Danish, Old Swedish Erik, itself from Proto-Scandinavian ain- ‘one, select’ + rík- ‘rule(r)’ + prosthetic H-. 2. Irish (Cork): Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó hEirc ‘descendant of Erc’, a personal name meaning ‘speckled, dark red’ or ‘salmon’, and borne by a Christian saint. In Munster and Ulster this name has been changed to Harkin. History: The English poet Robert Herrick (1591–1674) was the son of a wealthy London goldsmith, whose family had a long history in the town of Leicester. DNA analysis suggests that the modern surname is monogenetic, i.e. from a single eponymous bearer. The earliest known bearer of the name in Leicester was John Eirich, recorded as a burgess there in 1211. Leicester was one of the headquarters of the Viking army that conquered and settled the eastern midlands in the late 9th century, leading to the English adoption of many Old Norse personal names, such as Eirikr, as personal names. The initial aspirate is first recorded in the name of Nicholas Heyryke, recorded as a Leicester burgess in 1524.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Herrick in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Herrick has seen a slight decrease between 2000 and 2010. In the year 2000, Herrick ranked 2759 in popularity, and by 2010 it had dropped to rank 2940, indicating a change of -6.56%. Despite this drop in ranking, the total count of individuals with the Herrick surname increased slightly from 12002 in 2000 to 12202 in 2010, resulting in a growth rate of 1.67%. The proportion per 100k individuals also showed a slight decline over the decade, decreasing by 6.97%.

20002010Change
Rank#2,759#2,940-6.56%
Count12,00212,2021.67%
Proportion per 100k4.454.14-6.97%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Herrick

In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data illustrates some changes in the distribution among those with the Herrick surname. White individuals accounted for the majority of Herricks both in 2000 and 2010, although there was a slight decrease from 95.91% to 94.60% respectively. The Hispanic segment experienced a significant increase, from 1.17% in 2000 to 2.20% in 2010, marking an 88.03% change. Meanwhile, the share of Asian/Pacific Islander Herricks also saw a sizeable increase (50.00%), rising from 0.46% to 0.69%. There was a small increase in the percentage of Herricks identifying with two or more races, up 12.03% from 1.33% to 1.49%. Conversely, Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native segments both experienced decreases, with changes of -16.07% and -3.51% respectively.

20002010Change
White95.91%94.6%-1.37%
Hispanic1.17%2.2%88.03%
Two or More Races1.33%1.49%12.03%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.46%0.69%50%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.57%0.55%-3.51%
Black0.56%0.47%-16.07%

Herrick 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 Herrick is British & Irish, which comprises 48.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (26.8%) and Eastern European (6.7%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
British & Irish48.2%
French & German26.8%
Eastern European6.7%
Other18.2%
Herrick

Possible origins of the surname Herrick

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 Herrick have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom88.20%
Greater London, United Kingdom88.20%
Glasgow City, United Kingdom88.20%
Merseyside, United Kingdom87.90%
West Midlands, United Kingdom87.60%

What Herrick 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 Herrick is I-L205.1, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup I-L205.1 is descended from haplogroup I-M170. Other common haplogroups include I-Z74 and I-L22, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Tipton, Williford, Rothwell, Goodell, Hendrick, Bybee, Mcneill, Grooms, Holden, Mcneil.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Herrick surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

herrickPaternal Haplogroup Origins I-M170
Paternal Haplo Image

Your paternal lineage may be linked to many northern European men

If you have haplogroup I1a1b, your paternal line stems from a young branch of I-M253 called I-L22, which likely arose in the last 3,000 years. I-L22 is most common in Northern Europe, but a recent study found that this haplogroup was present in a significant portion of the Partecipanza population living in San Giovanni in Persiceto, Italy. The area of San Giovanni in Persiceto was involved in a migration period in 728 AD, when it became part of the Lombard kingdom, under King Aistulf. San Giovanni in Persiceto was only under Lombard rule for 48 years, after which the Lombards were defeated by King Charlemagne in 776 AD. There are several characteristics of San Giovanni in Persiceto that link it to other Lombard settlements. For instance, some research suggests San Giovanni in Persiceto was the seat of a Lombard Duke between 750 and 800 AD. It is possible that the Lombards who ruled over San Giovanni in Persiceto played an important role in the introduction and growth of haplogroup I-L22 in the region.

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.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Herrick 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

Herrick

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Herrick" Surname 53.1%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Herrick

Misophonia

When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.

"Herrick" Surname 29.1%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Herrick

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Herrick" Surname 20.0%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Herrick

Migraine

A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

"Herrick" Surname 18.5%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Herrick?

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 Herrick are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Y402H variant

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The disease results in damage to the central part of the retina (the macula), impairing vision needed for reading, driving, or even recognizing faces. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA test includes the two most common variants associated with an increased risk of developing the condition: the Y402H variant in the CFH gene and the A69S variant in the ARMS2 gene. Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration

British & Irish 62.1%

23andMe Users 57.2%