Explore the Family Name Hess
The meaning of Hess
1. German, Dutch, Danish, and Jewish (Ashkenazic): habitational name for someone from the territory of Hesse (see Hessen 1). 2. South German: from a short form of the personal name Matthäus (see Matthew). 3. German and Dutch: from the ancient Germanic personal name Hesso, a derivative of a compound name formed with hadu ‘strife’ as the first element, or from a pet form of Herman or Hendrik (see Henry 1).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Hess in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Hess has seen a slight decline but remains relatively common. In 2000, Hess was ranked as the 518th most popular surname, but fell to 564th by 2010, representing an 8.88% decrease in rank. However, the overall count of individuals with the surname Hess actually increased from 57,822 in 2000 to 59,486 in 2010, indicating a growth of 2.88%. The proportion per 100k people decreased by 5.88%, moving from 21.43 in 2000 to 20.17 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #518 | #564 | -8.88% |
| Count | 57,822 | 59,486 | 2.88% |
| Proportion per 100k | 21.43 | 20.17 | -5.88% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Hess
Regarding the ethnic identity associated with the surname Hess, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some changes between 2000 and 2010. The majority identifying as white decreased marginally by 1.37%, from 95.94% to 94.63%. However, there were increases among all other ethnic identities. Those identifying as Hispanic saw the largest increase, rising by 55.91% from 1.27% to 1.98%. This was followed by those identifying as two or more races, which grew by 33.98% from 1.03% to 1.38%. Notable increases were also observed among those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native, with a growth of 14.58% and 26.19% respectively. Finally, those identifying as Black saw a modest rise from 0.86% to 0.93%, an 8.14% increase.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.94% | 94.63% | -1.37% |
| Hispanic | 1.27% | 1.98% | 55.91% |
| Two or More Races | 1.03% | 1.38% | 33.98% |
| Black | 0.86% | 0.93% | 8.14% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.48% | 0.55% | 14.58% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.42% | 0.53% | 26.19% |
Hess 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 Hess is British & Irish, which comprises 38.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (36.5%) and Eastern European (6.0%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 38.7% |
| French & German | 36.5% |
| Eastern European | 6.0% |
| Other | 18.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Hess
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 Hess have recent ancestry locations in United Kingdom and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 80.40% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 80.30% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 79.90% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 79.90% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 79.90% |
What Hess 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 Hess is I-S8522, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup I-S8522 is descended from haplogroup I-M170. Other common haplogroups include E-V13 and R-L48, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Schmidt, Hoffman, Snyder, Meyer, Wolf, Miller, Becker, Smith, Mueller, Fischer.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Hess surname are: T2b, H, H1. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins I-M170Your 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 Hess 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.
"Hess" Surname 41.1%
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.
"Hess" Surname 22.8%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Hess" Surname 21.8%
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.
"Hess" Surname 16.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Hess?
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 Hess are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition