# Herman (surname)

Source: https://namelineage.com/surname/herman/  
Publisher: Name Lineage. Counts from the US Census Bureau; origin and etymology from Wiktionary; bearers from Wikidata. Data updated 2026-11-11.

A surname originating as a patronymic.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin | English |
| Type | patronymic, formed from a father’s (or ancestor’s) given name |
| People in the US (2010 Census) | 41,750 |
| US rank (2010) | 826 of 162,253 |
| How often | about 1 in every 7,395 people |
| Change since 2000 | -0.8% (42,091 in 2000) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈhɝmən/, 2 syllables |
| Variant spellings | none recorded |

## Etymology

From Old English here (“army”) + man (“man”) It was revived in the 19th century, partly due to American immigrants from continental Europe where the name has been more popular. Compare the German equivalent Hermann.

## Who carries it

Share of people named Herman in the 2010 US Census by the Census's own race and ethnicity groups. The Census suppresses a share when the count behind it is small.

| Group | Share |
|---|---|
| White (not Hispanic) | 90% |
| Black (not Hispanic) | 3.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.9% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 0.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.0% |
| Two or more races | 1.3% |

## Where

Wikidata records people named Herman in the United States and Belarus.

## People named Herman

- Woody Herman, American jazz musician and bandleader (1913–1987)
- Jerry Herman, American composer and lyricist (1931-2019)
- Paul Herman, American actor (1946–2022)
- Alexis Herman, American politician and businesswoman (1947–2025)
- Elvira Herman, Belarusian female hurdler
- Robert Herman, American astronomer (1914–1997)
- Judith Herman, American psychiatrist
- Edward S. Herman, American journalist (1925-2017)
- Al Herman, American racing driver
- Billy Herman, American baseball player and coach (1909–1992)
- Pete Herman, American boxer (1896–1973)
- Keri Herman, American freestyle skier

and 4 more on Wikidata.

## Similar surnames

Harman, Herrmann, Hermann, Herrman, Horman, Hermanson, Hermansen, Hermans, Hernon, Hernandez, Harmon, Hernandes.

## How to read these numbers

A Census count is people alive and counted in 2010, not births, and names occurring fewer than 100 times are not published at all. Ethnicity shares are the Census's own categories.