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Herbert Family History

Herbert Name Meaning

German English and French: from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements heri hari ‘army’ + berht ‘bright famous’. In Britain this Old French name introduced by the Normans reinforced the less common Old English cognate Herebeorht. The surname was taken to Ireland after the Anglo-Norman invasion and in the 16th century. Jewish (Ashkenazic): from the German personal name (see 1 above).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Helbert, Hergert, Seibert, Hulbert, Hilbert, Hebert, Sebert, Herbel

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Herbert family from?

You can see how Herbert families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Herbert family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Herbert families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 43 Herbert families living in New Jersey. This was about 17% of all the recorded Herbert's in USA. New Jersey had the highest population of Herbert families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Herbert surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Herbert ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Herbert. 15% of Herbert men worked as a Laborer and 7% of Herbert women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Herbert were Truck Driver and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Herbert | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    15%
  • Farmer
    10%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Truck Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    7%
  • Housewife
    7%
  • Stenographer
    7%
  • Teacher
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Herbert family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 403,000 census records available for the last name Herbert. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Herbert census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Herbert

Passenger Lists

There are 48,000 immigration records available for the last name Herbert. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Herbert immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 49,000 military records available for the last name Herbert. For the veterans among your Herbert ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Herbert lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Herbert life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1949, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Herbert in 1944 was 57, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Herbert

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