Explore the Family Name Hessen
The meaning of Hessen
German: 1. habitational name for someone from the territory of Hesse (German Hessen), a region (present-day federal state) in Germany named with the German dative plural form of the name of its inhabitants, the Hessians. Compare Hess 1. 2. habitational name from a place so named near Wolfenbüttel in Lower Saxony. Some characteristic forenames: German Erna. Scandinavian Hjalmer.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Hessen in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Hessen" slightly decreased between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 76,700, but fell to 82,613 by 2010, marking a decline of 7.71%. The count of individuals with this surname also saw a slight decrease from 233 in 2000 to 228 in 2010, a drop of 2.15%. Proportionally, the occurrence of the Hessen surname per 100,000 people dipped by 11.11%, going from 0.09 in 2000 to 0.08 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #76,700 | #82,613 | -7.71% |
| Count | 233 | 228 | -2.15% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.09 | 0.08 | -11.11% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Hessen
Regarding the ethnic identity associated with the Hessen surname, based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, there were noticeable shifts between 2000 and 2010. While in 2000, 3% of the Hessen population identified as Asian/Pacific Islander and another 3% identified with two or more races, these categories dropped to zero by 2010. However, the percentage of those identifying as White increased from 76.82% to 82.46%, a rise of 7.34%. The Hispanic representation within the Hessen population decreased by 21.86%, down from 14.59% in 2000 to 11.40% in 2010. Interestingly, Black representation emerged in 2010 at 2.63%, where it had been absent in 2000. American Indian and Alaskan Native representation remained consistent at 0% for both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 76.82% | 82.46% | 7.34% |
| Hispanic | 14.59% | 11.4% | -21.86% |
| Black | 0% | 2.63% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 3% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 3% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |