Heron
A surname that may come from the bird name, but historically was often spelled Hairun, Heyrun, or Heirun and may also reflect Norman place-name origins.
The #8,407 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 78,481 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The name is often explained as the bird nickname heron, but older spellings suggest a more complicated history. One early source notes that Heron was once written Hairun, Heyrun, Heirun, and similar forms, which makes a direct link to the modern bird-spelling less certain. Another possibility is Norman French origin from a place such as Le Héron in Normandy, or from a Norman personal name that later became fixed as a surname.
History
Historical records show early bearers in England by the time of the Norman Conquest, including Sir John Hairun, which supports an old Norman presence. Later spellings gradually converged on the modern form Heron. In some cases the name may also have been reinforced by association with the bird, especially in regions where bird-based nicknames were common.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
A 19th-century source specifically warns that the surname’s modern spelling can be misleading, because older records show forms that look quite different.
From the historical record
“HEROD. See Heraud. HERON. Taken au pied de la lettre this name would appear to be derived from the bird ; but Heron is a comparatively modern orthography, it having been formerly writ- ten Hairun, Heyrun, Heirun, «Scc. " Sir John Hairun entered England with the Conqueror, and was possessed of Ford Castle, and a…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom