NameCensus.

UK surname

Herzog

A German surname derived from the German word for "duke," denoting a person who served or was associated with a duke.

In the 1881 census there were 30 people recorded with the Herzog surname, ranking it #29,363 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 147, ranked #24,071, up from #29,363 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hackney, Basingstoke and Deane and Haringey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Herzog is 149 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 390.0%.

1881 census count

30

Ranked #29,363

Modern count

147

2016, ranked #24,071

Peak year

2014

149 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Herzog had 30 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,363 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 147 in 2016, ranked #24,071.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 75 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Herzog surname distribution map

The map shows where the Herzog surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Herzog surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Herzog over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1861 historical 9 #32,724
1881 historical 30 #29,363
1891 historical 50 #30,253
1901 historical 72 #26,162
1911 historical 75 #25,322
1997 modern 90 #28,360
1998 modern 97 #28,054
1999 modern 99 #27,906
2000 modern 94 #28,573
2001 modern 92 #28,528
2002 modern 102 #27,596
2003 modern 108 #26,486
2004 modern 108 #26,741
2005 modern 109 #26,583
2006 modern 106 #27,332
2007 modern 109 #27,253
2008 modern 116 #26,510
2009 modern 125 #25,823
2010 modern 139 #24,688
2011 modern 137 #24,716
2012 modern 136 #24,830
2013 modern 142 #24,547
2014 modern 149 #23,969
2015 modern 145 #24,246
2016 modern 147 #24,071

Geography

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Where Herzogs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hackney, Basingstoke and Deane, Haringey and Morningside and Craighouse. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hackney 001 Hackney
2 Basingstoke and Deane 012 Basingstoke and Deane
3 Haringey 029 Haringey
4 Morningside and Craighouse City of Edinburgh
5 Hackney 029 Hackney

Forenames

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First names often paired with Herzog

These lists show first names that appear often with the Herzog surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Herzog

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Herzog, 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

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Herzog surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Herzog household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Herzog is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Herzog is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Herzog falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Herzog is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Herzog, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Herzog

The surname Herzog has its origins in Germany, where it first emerged in the early medieval period, around the 12th century. The name is derived from the German word "Herzog," which means "duke" or "leader." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname may have held positions of authority or been associated with a ruling ducal house.

In its earliest recorded instances, the name was often spelled with variations like "Herzoge" or "Hertzog." It is likely that these variations stemmed from regional dialects and evolving orthographic conventions of the time. One of the earliest documented references to the name can be found in the medieval Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of official documents and charters from the Holy Roman Empire.

The Herzog surname is thought to have originated in the regions of Bavaria and Franconia, where many noble families and dukedoms were concentrated during the Middle Ages. Some of the earliest known bearers of the name include Johann Herzog, a prominent merchant from Nuremberg born in 1452, and Ulrich Herzog, a scholar and theologian from Augsburg who lived in the late 15th century.

In the 16th century, the name gained further prominence with the rise of the Herzog family of bankers and merchants in Augsburg. This family played a significant role in the economic and cultural life of the city and was closely associated with the Fugger banking dynasty. One notable member was Anton Herzog (1500-1566), a successful merchant and philanthropist who funded the construction of several churches and charitable institutions in Augsburg.

Moving into the 17th and 18th centuries, the Herzog surname continued to be well-represented among the German nobility and intellectual elite. Notable figures from this period include Johann Baptist Herzog (1627-1699), a Jesuit theologian and philosopher from Bamberg, and Johann Jakob Herzog (1734-1799), a prominent jurist and professor of law at the University of Heidelberg.

Throughout the 19th century, the Herzog name gained further recognition with individuals such as Wilhelm Herzog (1801-1867), a German philologist and professor at the University of Jena, and Johann Jakob Herzog (1805-1882), a Swiss Protestant theologian and Biblical scholar who was a professor at the University of Erlangen.

In more recent times, the Herzog surname has been carried by several notable figures, including Alain Herzog (1938-2022), a French philosopher and writer, and Werner Herzog (born 1942), the renowned German film director, screenwriter, and actor known for films such as Fitzcarraldo, Rescue Dawn, and Grizzly Man.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Herzog families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Herzog surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 13 Herzogs recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.45x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 13 4.45x
Surrey 9 6.32x
Kent 2 2.00x
Devon 1 1.64x
Essex 1 1.73x
Gloucestershire 1 1.74x
Nottinghamshire 1 2.54x
Wiltshire 1 3.87x
Yorkshire 1 0.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hackney London in Middlesex leads with 9 Herzogs recorded in 1881 and an index of 54.91x.

Place Total Index
Hackney London 9 54.91x
Newington 4 37.04x
Camberwell 2 10.71x
Woolwich 2 54.20x
Beddington 1 181.82x
Bristol St Michael 1 204.08x
Caterham 1 158.73x
Devizes St John 1 526.32x
Hampstead London 1 21.98x
Ilfracombe 1 158.73x
Kingstonupon Hull 1 434.78x
Nottingham St Mary 1 9.81x
Nutfield 1 909.09x
St George Hanover Square 1 19.42x
St George In East London 1 36.36x
St Giles In Fields London 1 69.93x
Wanstead 1 99.01x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Herzog surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Sarah 2
Caroline 1
Emilie 1
Emma 1
Hanna 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Katherine 1
Lavinia 1
Marie 1
Mary 1
Maud 1
Pauline 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Herzog surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Augustus 2
Carl 2
John 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
C. 1
Charles 1
Ernest 1
Everhard 1
Franz 1
Frederick 1
Herman 1

FAQ

Herzog surname: questions and answers

How common was the Herzog surname in 1881?

In 1881, 30 people were recorded with the Herzog surname. That placed it at #29,363 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Herzog surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 147 in 2016. That gives Herzog a modern rank of #24,071.

What does the Herzog surname mean?

A German surname derived from the German word for "duke," denoting a person who served or was associated with a duke.

What does the Herzog map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Herzog bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

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.