Surname Herdt - Meaning and Origin
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Herdt: What does the surname Herdt mean?
The surname Herdt is a German occupational name derived from the Middle High German word, hert, meaning “hearted” or “caring”. The name is an ancient one which refers to someone who was a shepherd or a herdsman, an individual who managed livestock such as sheep, cattle, or horses. Casebooks from Germany’s Raddatz and Hubner families record a Her(d)t in 1360 in Hannover, Lower Saxony. In 1532 a Her(d)t is recorded in the census of Kleinen near Ungerhausen, a village in the southern region of the Kingdom of Prussia.
The Herdts were part of a family of German immigrants who relocated to America in the early 19th century and settled in Pennsylvania and then later in the Midwest. The Herdts became more prosperous as a result of their involvement in the burgeoning railroad industry, as well as through the development of a farming community in central Illinois.
The Herdts have been woven into the rich fabric of America’s history, particulary in and around in Illinois. The Herdt family is believed to have been the first to settle in the small town of Dupo in St. Clair County, Illinois. A number of their descendants continue to reside in Dupo today, including a variety of businesses operated by their children and grandchildren.
Today, the Herdt family remains a tight-knit and caring one, typically with members that are independent, compassionate, and devoted to one another. Whether it be in business, family, or community service, they continue to make their mark on the world.
Order DNA origin analysisHerdt: Where does the name Herdt come from?
The last name Herdt is most commonly found in Germany today. Specifically, it is found in the northern German region of Lower Saxony, in the cities of Neustadt Am Rübenberge and Celle. It is likely that this surname originated there and has been passed down through generations of people living in the area.
The exact origin of Herdt is probably unknown, though it could have come from the German words “herd” or “hart” which mean “strong” or “brave.” As with many ethnic surnames, alternate spellings of the name exist, such as Herd, Hert, Hart, Harrt, Hardt, Hard, and Harde. The name is also seen in variant spellings outside of Germany, including Hért in France and Herd in the United States.
Getting an exact number of how many people currently carry the Herdt last name is difficult to determine. According to ancestry.com’s surname database, it is the 14,384th most common surname in the world, and the 8,016th most common in Germany.
In summary, the surname Herdt is most commonly found in Germany today. It likely has its roots in Lower Saxony, with the given name coming from the German words meaning “strong” or “brave.” While it is difficult to determine exact figures, the surname is estimated to be the 8,016th most common in Germany as of 2021.
Variations of the surname Herdt
The surname Herdt is of Germanic origin, and historically, it has been spelt in various ways. Variations of the surname include Härde, Heardt, Hert, Hardt, Hard, Herd and Hoard. There are also numerous regional spellings depending on the respective country of origin, such as Hurd in England, Heirdt in Denmark, Haradt in Germany, Hardin in Ireland, Hrešt in Slovenia, Hertz in Sweden and Heerdt in the Netherlands.
In some cases, multiple variants may have resulted from successive generations of a family growing apart and diversifying across different countries or regions. For example, the Heardt branch of the family originated in England, while the Hardt branch in Ireland, and the Hertz family in Sweden.
In some instances, the surname has also undergone changes in form or spelling due to incorrect or incomplete census-takers records. As a result, some Herdt families may have the surname spelled as Heart, Herdte, Hertzger, Herdmann, Heirdt, Herdan, and even Hardman.
In terms of surnames derived from the same root as Herdt, variants include Herding, Herdling, Hardinger, Hording, and Horden. There is also the recently emerged 'Harmette', which is a combination of the surname Hardt and the female name Harriet.
Overall, there is a great deal of diversity and regional variation among the Herdt surname, though they are all ultimately related to the same Germanic origin.
Famous people with the name Herdt
- Richard Herdt: Richard Herdt is a professional martial artist and trained bodyguard who has featured on numerous global magazines as a fitness model andcounted celebrities like Drew Barrymore, among his clients.
- Adriana Herdt: Adriana Herdt is a Brazilian actor and producer, best known for her roles in films like Slave Mothers, A Rectangle of Sun and Two of Us.
- Andrea Herdt: Andrea Herdt is an American film producer and financial consultant, known for her work on television series like The Americans, Game of Thrones and Succession.
- Marc Herdt: Marc Herdt is a Belgian footballer playing in the defender position for Eupen in the Belgian Pro League.
- Tyler Herdt: Tyler Herdt is a former American sprint track and field athlete, winning gold medal in the 4 × 100 m relay at the 2009 Summer Universiade.
- Krisztina Herdt: Krisztina Herdt is a Hungarian swimmer, who won gold medal in 100 m backstroke at the 2010 European Aquatics Championships, and bronze in the 2009 edition.
- Josefin Herdt: Josefin Herdt is a Swedish skier who competes in alpine skiing. She has participated in the 2007 FIS Junior World Ski Championships.
- Doris Herdt: Doris Herdt is a German rower who competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics and won a bronze medal in the quadruple sculls event.
- Hans-Christian Herdt: Hans-Christian Herdt is an American-born German ice dancer, competing with partner Christina Beier. The duo achieved a silver medal at the 2000 German Championships.
- Moritz Herdt: Moritz Herdt is an Austrian chess Grandmaster who has won the Austrian Open Championships twice, and the bronze medal in U18 at the European Team Chess Championship in 2015.