Surname Heith - Meaning and Origin
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Heith: What does the surname Heith mean?
The last name Heith is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is thought to be derived from "heahthige," meaning "high one" or "hill top." This could have been a person living on a hill or having a prominence within their community. The name could also be derived from the Old English words "heah" meaning high, and "thwa" meaning servant or retainer. The individual who bore this surname may have been a servant or retainer of someone of high social standing.
The Heiths first settled in the West Riding of Yorkshire in Northern England, in the area around Pateley Bridge. This area was known for timber and wool production and other varieties of manufacturing, making it an ideal area to settle.
The Heith family name has spread over the years from Yorkshire throughout the rest of England, as well as to Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and other parts of the world. Today, the last name has become widespread in British, Scottish, Irish, Australian, and American populations, and more distant countries such as Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa.
The name Heith is associated with strong, hardworking people who are capable and determined. It is also a reminder to us today of how the Anglo-Saxons have shaped the English language and culture, and of how far their descendants have come, even around the world.
Order DNA origin analysisHeith: Where does the name Heith come from?
The last name Heith is most common today in the United States, particularly in the midwest and southwest. According to the US Census Bureau, the highest concentrations of the Heith surname are in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Utah.
The Heith name first appears in surviving records as early as the 12th century, in northeast England. In the Middle Ages, the Heith family had its origination in Yorkshire and County Durham, where the present-day family name is most frequent. The name was also fairly common in the East Riding of Yorkshire, in an area known as “the East Riding of Heith.”
There are also pockets of the Heith surname in other countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada. In Northern Ireland, the Heith name is relatively widespread, particularly in counties such as Antrim, Derry, Tyrone, and Down. The name has also been seen in France, Austria, Australia, and New Zealand.
In the United States, the Heith surname is most commonly found among adults of European ancestry, indicating its history as a British-origin name. The Heith surname continues to be a relatively rare one, however, as it is uncommon even in places where it was once quite prevalent.
Variations of the surname Heith
The surname Heith is of Germanic and Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from a personal name associated with Old High German heit ‘family’ or heite ‘lineage’. The variants and spellings of Heith include Haith, Heth, Heijth, Heijthe, Hethe, Heithy, Heithe, Hethey, Hayth, Haeth and Haythe.
The surnames of the same origin for Heith are Heith- Coal and Heith-Edge. Heith-Coal is thought to have originated when a Heith ancestor lived near a coal mine, or worked as a coal miner. The Heith-Edge variant originated in the West Yorkshire area of England, and refers to a family who lived near a cliff known as Heithen Edge.
Heith is also found in early records in various locations across Yorkshire in the 14th and 15th centuries and in Lowestoft, Suffolk in 1524.
The ancestral homeland of Heiths have been traced to Yorkshire, England but Heiths are now found in different parts of the UK, Ireland, Northern Ireland, United States, Canada and other countries of Europe.
In Europe, Stuttgart, Germany was a major center of early settlement for those with the Heith surname. The modern-day spelling of Heith in Stuttgart is Heidt. In the United States, the variant spelling of Heith is usually found as Haith.
The spelling variants of Heith that have become popular in the United States are Haith, Heath and Hayth, with the most common modern spellings being Heith, Heth, Heithe, Hethe and Hethey.
Famous people with the name Heith
- Marshall Heith: Actor and film producer.
- Joseph Heith: former Lord Mayor of London (1824–26).
- Hugo Heith: German artist and sculptor.
- Rachel Heith: American country-pop singer-songwriter.
- Martin Heith: German ice hockey player.
- Brady Heith: American figure skater.
- Nick Heith: English Paralympic wheelchair basketball player.
- Allan Heith: English professional rugby union, rugby league and American football player.
- Lewis Heith: English footballer.
- Anne Heith: Austrian actress and opera director.
- Juliette Heith: Belgian noblewoman and civil rights activist.
- Werner Heith: German professor and Catholic theologian.
- Ishmael Heith: Australian Aboriginal artist.
- Sarunas Heith: Lithuanian professional basketball player.
- Violet Heith: British Member of Parliament (1923–24).
- Derek Heith: English footballer.
- T Eli Heith: American Air Force pilot and four star general.
- Sasha Heith: American hip-hop artist.
- John Heith: English miners’ leader.
- Savannah Heith: American country-pop singer-songwriter.