Explore the Family Name Hertz
The meaning of Hertz
1. German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Herz and, in North America, (also) an altered form of this. Compare Gertz 3. 2. Danish and Swedish: of German origin (see Herz). 3. Germanized or Americanized form of Sorbian Herc (see Herz 5).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Hertz in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Hertz has seen a marginal decline in rank from 7497 to 7788 between the years 2000 and 2010, a change of -3.88%. However, the count of individuals with this surname increased by 3.91% during the same period, rising from 4097 to 4257. The proportion per 100k people saw a slight decrease of -5.26%, indicating that while the absolute number of people named Hertz increased, their representation in the overall population diminished slightly.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,497 | #7,788 | -3.88% |
| Count | 4,097 | 4,257 | 3.91% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.52 | 1.44 | -5.26% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Hertz
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Hertz has also experienced changes as reported in the Decennial U.S. Census. There was a notable increase in those identifying as Hispanic, with an impressive rise of 108.55% between 2000 and 2010. Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, and American Indian and Alaskan Native identities also saw increases of 7.69%, 4.03%, and 32.35% respectively. The White ethnicity, while still representing the vast majority at 93.89% in 2010, saw a slight decrease of -1.17%. Those identifying as Black decreased by -19.35%, suggesting a shift in the diversity of individuals carrying the Hertz surname.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95% | 93.89% | -1.17% |
| Hispanic | 1.17% | 2.44% | 108.55% |
| Black | 1.86% | 1.5% | -19.35% |
| Two or More Races | 1.24% | 1.29% | 4.03% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.34% | 0.45% | 32.35% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.39% | 0.42% | 7.69% |
Hertz 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 Hertz is Ashkenazi Jewish, which comprises 30.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (25.3%) and British & Irish (24.3%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Eastern European, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Chinese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 30.5% |
| French & German | 25.3% |
| British & Irish | 24.3% |
| Other | 19.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Hertz
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 Hertz have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 62.70% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 62.70% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 62.70% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 61.90% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 61.90% |
What Hertz 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 Hertz is J-M172, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup J-M172 is descended from haplogroup J-M304. Other common haplogroups include E-M5021 and R-U152, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Glasser, Toma, Alter, Deutsch, Pollak, Dipietro, Lieberman, Alberti, Sachs, Singer.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Hertz surname are: H1, N, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins J-M304
Your paternal lineage may be linked to some of the first farmers
The first farmers in western Eurasia lived in the Fertile Crescent, a region of the Middle East stretching from the Nile Delta to the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. With their new technology, they were able to live more sedentary lives, support larger populations, and build civilizations. They also began to move rapidly outwards from the Middle East. One of the earliest regions they expanded into was Armenia, a crossroads between the Middle East and northern Eurasia that was transformed into a fertile landscape at the end of the Ice Age. In addition to their culture, some of the men involved in this early migration carried haplogroup J-M172. In fact, their arrival in the region left genetic signatures that can still be seen in the J-M172 lineages found in Armenian men today, especially in Ararat Valley, Gardman, and Lake Van.
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 Hertz 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.
"Hertz" Surname 39.1%
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.
"Hertz" Surname 14.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Hertz" Surname 15.7%
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.
"Hertz" Surname 16.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Hertz?
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 Hertz are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition