Herrmann
A German surname built on the honorific Herr, originally suggesting a “man of rank” or “lord’s man.”
The #2,723 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 23,344 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Herrmann is a German surname built from Herr, meaning “lord,” “master,” or “mister,” plus Mann, “man.” In surname use, it likely began as a descriptive name for someone seen as a gentleman, a servant of a lord, or a person of standing rather than as a direct occupational label. The double-r spelling is the standard German spelling, while Herrman and Herman are related variants.
History
The name is common in German-speaking areas and also appears in Dutch and Scandinavian contexts through later migration and spelling adaptation. Nineteenth-century surname writers often grouped Herrmann with other Germanic names based on Herr-, and some also linked it loosely with the old German personal name element that appears in Arminius/Hermann traditions, though that is a separate historical strand. In English-speaking countries the surname became more visible through German immigration in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because Herr is such a common polite form in German, the surname can sound almost like a phrase meaning “Mr. man” to English ears.
From the historical record
“Herr. Maître, chef ' AUem.). Herrmann, Herroux. F. de Hermauu, Hérou. Hersan , Hersant , Hersent.”
— Dictionnaire des noms (French surnames)Notable people named Herrmann
- Bernard Herrmann (1911–1975)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.