Surname Heinritz - Meaning and Origin
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Heinritz: What does the surname Heinritz mean?
The surname Heinritz is an occupational surname of German origin and is derived from the Old German term “haganrît”, meaning ‘headman of the hedge,’ or ‘enclosure.’ This was the name given to a person who was appointed to guard and maintain a particular hedge or property boundary, a role that was often held by members of the landed gentry. The name is also associated with members of a family who migrated from the Alsace-Lorraine region of Germany but settled in other areas of Europe and the U.S.
The Heinritz surname first appears in records in Germany in the 15th century and the family was prominent in Bavaria and Cologne. German immigrant records from the 1600s suggest that Heinritz members migrated to the U.S. in search of religious and economic freedom, particularly in Pennsylvania and New York.
Those bearing the name Heinritz are likely to have more recent German ancestry as well as strong family connections to the settlements established by the original settlers in America. Aside from its Old German origin, the name Heinritz is also associated with various noble families throughout Europe, including the famous Baron Heinritz von Württemberg.
Order DNA origin analysisHeinritz: Where does the name Heinritz come from?
The last name Heinritz is common mainly throughout Europe, specifically in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It may also be encountered in the U.S., although stalwart surname research projects classify the surname as being from Germany, noting that it is much rarer in the United States. The exact numbers of individuals who bear this surname in any given location depends, in part, on the immigration and emigration patterns of the past.
In Germany, the last name Heinritz ranks around mid-range in terms of its frequency, appearing at number 936 in a yearly count. In Austria, however, it is much more popular, appearing at number 123 in the same study, and showing that the surname is more likely to be found in Austria.
In Switzerland, the surname is particularly popular, owing to country’s population of Germanic people. The surname appears at no. 58 in the Swiss surname listing, proving to be much more common in Swiss households than in German or Austrian ones.
In the United States, the surname appears to be less common. The Social Security Administration list of the top 1,000 surnames includes Heinritz at number 906. This shows a dramatic decrease in the popularity of the Germanic surname compared to that of Europe.
Based on the databases compiled, it would appear that the surname Heinritz is most common today throughout Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, with much less common use in the United States.
Variations of the surname Heinritz
The surname Heinritz can have several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. One variation of the surname is Heintz. It can be spelled as either Heintz or Heinz. The same surname can also be found spelled as Hines, Hynez, Hynes, Heynis, and Hyniz. It is also believed to have roots as a form of the name “Hendricks” or “Henrich”.
One of the most common variants of Heinritz is Heintz. This version of the name is typically found among German, Dutch, and Swiss families. It is derived from the Middle High German word “hant” which means “hand”.
Another variant of the name is Heynis. This variant is used by some German families and is descended from the Middle High German word “hain” meaning “hedge” or “enclosure”. Heynis is also a variant to the spelling of “Hines”, a variant of Heinritz.
Some other variations of the surname Heinritz include Hyniz, Hynez, Hynes, and Hines. All of these variants of the name have roots in either German, Dutch, or Swiss families. The surnames Hynez and Hynes also have roots as a form of the name “Henrich”.
Overall, the surname Heinritz has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Depending on the family’s heritage, the surname can be found spelled as either Heintz, Heynis, Hyniz, Hynez, Hynes, Hines, or Hendricks.
Famous people with the name Heinritz
- Jerry Heinritz: former professional American football player
- Steve Heinritz: American retired professional basketball player
- Ingo Heinritz: German football manager and former player
- Mark Heinritz: German football manager and former player
- John Heinritz: former Major League Baseball pitcher
- Dave Heinritz: Major League Baseball player
- Karl Heinritz: German footballer
- Wladimir Heinritz: Russian professional ice hockey player
- Klaus Heinritz: German author 10.Fritz Heinritz: Austrian Olympic bobsledder