UK surname
An English occupational surname referring to someone who worked as a herdsman or tender of animals.
In the 1881 census there were 167 people recorded with the Herrin surname, ranking it #14,443 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 64, ranked #34,098, down from #14,443 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Ilminster and Oldswinford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Herrin is 167 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 61.7%.
1881 census count
167
Ranked #14,443
Modern count
64
2016, ranked #34,098
Peak year
1881
167 bearers
Map years
4
1881 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Herrin surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Herrin surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | historical | 95 | #17,707 |
| 1861 | historical | 92 | #22,112 |
| 1881 | historical | 167 | #14,443 |
| 1891 | historical | 107 | #22,967 |
| 1901 | historical | 117 | #20,830 |
| 1911 | historical | 124 | #20,023 |
| 1997 | modern | 61 | #31,526 |
| 1998 | modern | 70 | #30,968 |
| 1999 | modern | 65 | #31,605 |
| 2000 | modern | 66 | #31,553 |
| 2001 | modern | 62 | #31,798 |
| 2002 | modern | 60 | #32,388 |
| 2003 | modern | 58 | #32,619 |
| 2004 | modern | 56 | #33,067 |
| 2005 | modern | 57 | #33,178 |
| 2006 | modern | 64 | #32,839 |
| 2007 | modern | 66 | #32,948 |
| 2008 | modern | 63 | #33,498 |
| 2009 | modern | 68 | #33,341 |
| 2010 | modern | 68 | #33,632 |
| 2011 | modern | 72 | #33,323 |
| 2012 | modern | 67 | #33,840 |
| 2013 | modern | 64 | #34,127 |
| 2014 | modern | 63 | #34,212 |
| 2015 | modern | 66 | #33,976 |
| 2016 | modern | 64 | #34,098 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Ilminster, Oldswinford, Sheffield and Tiverton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 2 | Ilminster | Somerset |
| 3 | Oldswinford | Worcestershire |
| 4 | Sheffield | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| 5 | Tiverton | Devon |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Herrin surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Herrin, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.
These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.
The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.
UK neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Herrin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Herrin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Herrin is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Herrin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Herrin, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname HERRIN is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "hering" or "hæring," meaning "a follower" or "an adherent." This surname likely originated in the 13th century and was initially given as a descriptive name to someone who followed a particular leader, religious figure, or patron.
The earliest recorded instance of the name HERRIN can be traced back to the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Heringe." This document was a census-like record of landholders in England at the time. The name was also found in various medieval records, such as the Pipe Rolls of 1195, where it was spelled "Hering."
In the 14th century, the surname HERRIN appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, England, in the form of "Heryng." This suggests that the name was present in the Worcestershire region during that period.
One notable bearer of the HERRIN surname was John Herring (c. 1480-1554), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire during the reign of Henry VIII. Another prominent figure was Thomas Herring (1693-1757), an English clergyman who served as the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1747 until his death.
The surname HERRIN has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Herringfleet in Suffolk and Herrington in Durham. These place names likely derived from the Old English word "hering," meaning "a follower" or "adherent," further reinforcing the connection between the surname and its original meaning.
Other notable individuals with the HERRIN surname include:
1. Robert Herring (1824-1906), an English architect known for designing several buildings in London. 2. Hubert Herring (1863-1950), a British politician and Member of Parliament for Loughborough from 1906 to 1918. 3. Mildred Herring (1893-1975), an American author and journalist who wrote extensively about social issues and women's rights. 4. Jeanette Herring (1910-1992), a British Olympic swimmer who competed in the 1928 and 1932 Summer Olympics. 5. George Herring (1936-2022), an American historian and professor who specialized in the study of U.S. foreign relations.
Over the centuries, the HERRIN surname has been subject to various spellings, including Hering, Heringe, Heryng, and Herring, reflecting the evolution of language and regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Herrin surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Somerset leads with 31 Herrins recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.82x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Somerset | 31 | 11.82x |
| Worcestershire | 21 | 9.87x |
| Middlesex | 20 | 1.23x |
| Yorkshire | 20 | 1.24x |
| Devon | 14 | 4.13x |
| Kent | 8 | 1.44x |
| Staffordshire | 8 | 1.45x |
| Surrey | 8 | 1.01x |
| Durham | 7 | 1.44x |
| Essex | 6 | 1.87x |
| Lancashire | 5 | 0.26x |
| Monmouthshire | 5 | 4.25x |
| Berkshire | 4 | 3.27x |
| Herefordshire | 3 | 4.49x |
| Brecknockshire | 2 | 6.14x |
| Cambridgeshire | 1 | 0.97x |
| Derbyshire | 1 | 0.39x |
| Gloucestershire | 1 | 0.31x |
| Northumberland | 1 | 0.41x |
| Shropshire | 1 | 0.71x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wellington in Somerset leads with 16 Herrins recorded in 1881 and an index of 449.44x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Wellington | 16 | 449.44x |
| Heeley | 15 | 305.50x |
| Tiverton | 14 | 239.73x |
| Lye | 13 | 367.23x |
| Bermondsey | 8 | 16.49x |
| Bromley London | 8 | 22.32x |
| Kingswinford | 8 | 40.08x |
| Ilminster | 7 | 382.51x |
| Lewisham | 7 | 23.62x |
| Wollescote | 7 | 409.36x |
| Colchester St Botolph | 6 | 218.98x |
| Stranton | 6 | 36.79x |
| Bedwellty | 5 | 24.05x |
| Bridgewater | 4 | 56.18x |
| Durston | 4 | 3076.92x |
| Kensington London | 4 | 4.42x |
| Lambourn | 3 | 247.93x |
| Oldham | 3 | 4.81x |
| Bootle Cum Linacre | 2 | 13.03x |
| Burley In Wharfdale | 2 | 139.86x |
| Hackney London | 2 | 2.19x |
| Linton In Newent | 2 | 384.62x |
| Ratcliffe London | 2 | 22.22x |
| Sheffield | 2 | 3.89x |
| St Luke London | 2 | 7.65x |
| Bedlington | 1 | 12.36x |
| Brilley | 1 | 454.55x |
| Bristol St James St Paul | 1 | 9.39x |
| Chatham | 1 | 6.54x |
| Chesterton | 1 | 31.45x |
| Crathorne | 1 | 714.29x |
| Heworth | 1 | 10.47x |
| Kidderminster Foreign | 1 | 33.22x |
| Llanvigan | 1 | 322.58x |
| Llyswen | 1 | 909.09x |
| Long Eaton | 1 | 29.67x |
| Shaw Cum Donnington | 1 | 256.41x |
| Spitalfields London | 1 | 8.16x |
| Tottenham | 1 | 3.86x |
| Worthen Hope | 1 | 333.33x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Herrin surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 12 |
| Emma | 6 |
| Sarah | 6 |
| Ann | 5 |
| Elizabeth | 4 |
| Jane | 4 |
| Annie | 3 |
| Lucy | 3 |
| Maria | 3 |
| Martha | 3 |
| Ada | 2 |
| Eva | 2 |
| Harriet | 2 |
| Kate | 2 |
| Margaret | 2 |
| Agnes | 1 |
| Alice | 1 |
| Caroline | 1 |
| Catherine | 1 |
| Charlotte | 1 |
| Eliza | 1 |
| Elizth. | 1 |
| Ellen | 1 |
| Emily | 1 |
| Fanny | 1 |
| Flora | 1 |
| Florance | 1 |
| Frances | 1 |
| Hannah | 1 |
| Helen | 1 |
| Jessie | 1 |
| Julia | 1 |
| Letty | 1 |
| Lilla | 1 |
| Lizzie | 1 |
| Lizzy | 1 |
| Louisa | 1 |
| May | 1 |
| Mercy | 1 |
| Mog | 1 |
| Rosa | 1 |
| Susan | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Herrin surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
FAQ
In 1881, 167 people were recorded with the Herrin surname. That placed it at #14,443 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 64 in 2016. That gives Herrin a modern rank of #34,098.
An English occupational surname referring to someone who worked as a herdsman or tender of animals.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Herrin bearers relative to the surrounding population.
The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.