Surname Hegenscheidt - Meaning and Origin

Hegenscheidt: What does the surname Hegenscheidt mean?

The surname Hegenscheidt is of German origin, most likely associated with the region of Westphalia in Lower Saxony. The name is derived from two separate words – the first, “Hegen,” means something like “high” or “eminent” while the latter “Schenk” means, “given” or “blessed.” Therefore, the name can be interpreted to mean “blessed noble” or “eminent given.”

The Hegenscheidt surname first began to appear in records dating back to the 16th century in German lands. It is a unique surname associated with the Hegenscheidt family name, but it is not especially common. This could be due to relatively high levels of mortality for children during the medieval era, as well as the fact that many of the members of the family likely dispersed to other countries or adopted other surnames.

The Hegenscheidt surname has probably been around since at least the 16th century—since then, a variety of branches of the family have been identified and documented. The most famous Hegenscheidt is probably Henry Hegenscheidt, a German-born American Civil War general who fought in the Union Army.

Overall, the Hegenscheidt surname is associated with nobility and honor, and its origin story will likely go on. Its legacy remains in the records of genealogy websites, historical archives, and the memories of the Hegenscheidt family members scattered across the world.

Hegenscheidt: Where does the name Hegenscheidt come from?

Hegenscheidt is a German last name, originating in the old High German term “hegen schides”, or “guardian of the border”. Today, it is most commonly found in the North Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany. The surname is particularly popular in the towns of Hückelhoven, Erkelenz and Würselen, as well as in the cities of Aachen and Düren. It is also occasionally found in western Netherlands, as well as in some parts of the United States, Canada, Australia, and South Africa.

In the United States, the surname is found mainly in Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, and Minnesota. In Canada, the largest concentrations are found in Ontario, Manitoba, and Quebec.

In Australia, the Hegenscheidt name is most commonly found in Victoria and New South Wales. In South Africa, the name is most common in the Gauteng province.

The one thing all these areas have in common is that they have been populated by immigrants from the Rhineland and other parts of Germany since the 19th century. It is likely that Hegenscheidt spread to many countries during this time, and later generations have dispersed across the world.

Variations of the surname Hegenscheidt

The surname Hegenscheidt has different variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. These variations include: Hegemann, Hegenauer, Hegeneyer, Hegenich, Hegenkeit, Hegenqerth, Hegenrich, Hegensohn, Hegenschmidt, Hegenshiedt, Hegensheid, Hegenstein, Hegenstreit, Hegensweit, Hegetich, Hegethmann, Hegetz, Hegezschiedt, Hegezschindt, Hengar, Hengescheidt, Hengeschiedt, Hengeschmidt, Hengeschmitt, Hengesfeldt, Henggenscheidt, Heikedeisch, Heikedesch, Heikescheidt, Heikeschiedt, Heikeschmidt, and Heischeid.

The Hegenscheidt surname originated in Germany and is believed to have first appeared in the 15th Century. The surname translates to “hegner” meaning hedge, or “heggen” meaning Berkser, and it is thought to refer to someone who owned or worked on a farm with a hedgerow. This surname was found in various regions in Germany, such as in the lower Rhineland and in Bavaria. There are not many people carrying this surname, and it is listed as one of the rarest in Germany.

This surname is also spelled in various ways, depending on regional dialects and pronunciation. For instance, Hegenscheidt may also be spelled Hegensheidt, Hegescheid, and Hegescheidt.

Over time, people began to migrate from Germany with this surname, and so the Hegenscheidt surname can now be found in other places in the world, including the United States, Canada, Argentina, and Russia.

Famous people with the name Hegenscheidt

• Julius Hegenscheidt (1818–1883), a German astronomer and physicist
• August Hegenscheidt (1893–1965), a German businessman and founder of the Baumwollspinnerei und Weberei Hegenscheidt company
• Ferdinand Louis Hegenscheidt (1859–1931), a German architect and urban planner
• Fritz Hegenscheidt (1891–1959), a German biologist who studied animal nutrition
• Emmi Hegenscheidt (1898–1973), a German nature photographer
• Friedrich Hegenscheidt (1798–1858), a German philosopher
• Bernd Hegenscheidt (1944-2021), a German stage and film actor
• Basil Hegenscheidt (1870-1944), a German mathematician
• Anna Hegenscheidt (1870-1954), a German writer of adventure novels
• Ida Hegenscheidt (1867-1947), a German opera singer

Other surnames

Hegenscheid