Surname Heereman - Meaning and Origin
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Heereman: What does the surname Heereman mean?
The surname Heereman is of Dutch origin, and is derived from the old German word "herman", meaning a noble warrior. Originally, it was a title given to a leader of a group of mercenaries and knights during feudal times.
As the feudal age progressed, the use of the term Heereman took on a broader meaning and began to refer to anyone who was respected and held a leadership role within a community. It could be a knight, a soldier, an aristocrat, or an important citizen in the eyes of their peers.
The surname Heereman would have been adopted by those who held leadership roles and wanted to represent their status and privilege. Even today, it is a distinguished name and could be equated in modern times to titles like "commander" or "colonel".
The surname Heereman today is still found in regions that were part of the Dutch empire. In the Netherlands specifically, it is one of the top 150 surnames, indicating that its legacy lives on in its home country. It is also fairly common in the United States, ranked at around 1850 in the nation’s top names.
Due to its strong association with leadership, those with the surname Heereman can be expected to take on a position of authority and be respected in the eyes of the community.
Order DNA origin analysisHeereman: Where does the name Heereman come from?
The last name Heereman is chiefly found in Germany, with larger concentrations in the west and south of the country. The name is derived from the German word “Heer” which means army, suggesting that those who used the name in the past were members of the military, or had military connections.
Today, the last name Heereman is most commonly found in the area of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state in Germany. In the city of Bielefeld, a suburb of North Rhine-Westphalia, the name Heereman is especially popular. Other highly-populated cities that show a high concentration of Heeremans include Dortmund, Essen, Düsseldorf and Cologne.
Outside of Germany, the last name Heereman can be found in scattered locations around the world, notably in the Netherlands, France and the United States. There are also small numbers of Heeremans in Belgium, Switzerland, Canada and Australia.
Overall, the last name Heereman continues to be quite concentrated in Germany with its origins still present. As populations of individuals of German descent around the world continue to increase, the chances of encountering the name Heereman elsewhere increases as well.
Variations of the surname Heereman
The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Heereman are Heriman, Hereman, Herrman, Hörman, Hoerman, Horrman, Herrmann, Hermman, Hermann, Herriman, Heerimann, Herrimann, Heering, Haering and Harring.
Heereman is a variant of the Dutch surname 'Hereman', which is derived from the German language and means 'army man'. This is an occupational surname, given to people who worked as military personnel. It is also believed to have derived from the Old German name 'Hemram', which roughly translates to 'war-raven'. This name was given to a brave soldier.
The variant names Heereman, Hereman and Heriman have been found in Flanders, an area in northwestern Europe now divided between the Netherlands, Belgium and France. These names have been recorded in official documents dating back to as early as the 13th century. Since then, these names have spread throughout Europe, with the name Heereman being the most common variant.
The other variants, such as Herrman, Harring and Herimann, trace their origins back to Germany and The Netherlands. Herrman is derived from Herr, the German word for 'lord' or 'master', which suggests that the name was first given to a person of higher status. Harring and Heering are derived from the Old Germanic names 'Harig' and 'Heerig', which roughly translates to 'army lord'.
In conclusion, anyone bearing the surnames Heereman, Hereman, Heriman, Herrman, Hörman, Hoerman, Horrman, Herrmann, Hermman, Hermann, Herriman, Heerimann, Herrimann, Heering, Haering or Harring are likely to trace their origin back to the same ancestry.
Famous people with the name Heereman
- Karl Ulrich Heereman (1747-1804), a Prussian field marshal
- Kurt Heereman (1870-1930), German World War I flying ace
- Baroness Anna Sophia Heereman van Voss (1841–1919), a Dutch poet
- Baron Carl August Heereman von Zuydtwyck (1874-1916), German diplomat
- Charlotte Heereman (1890-1969), Nazi politician
- Alphons Heereman (1908-1978), German World War II bomber pilot
- Gottfried Heereman (1909-1972), German officer
- Alex Heereman, professional football player
- Louis Heereman (1929-1988), figure skater
- Ryan Heereman, artist and art teacher.