Herne Coat of Arms and Surname Origin

Heraldry is personal: arms associated with the Hearn surname were borne by specific families, and sharing the name does not mean sharing the blazon.

The meaning behind Herne

Search old registers for Herne and you will soon meet Hearn too. The name is generally explained as “Descendant of the little fearful or distrustful one; grandson of Eachthigheirn (horse lord)”.

Records show Herne as one of the forms Hearn took over time. Before spelling was standardised, one family could appear under several forms. The same family of names includes Hearns. According to the 2010 US Census, the Herne surname had 592 bearers. It sits among the 50,000 most common last names in the country.

Want more than a summary? See the Herne family name pack.