Heer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Netherlands

The distinguished surname Heer is Dutch in origin. It is derived from the Dutch word "heer," meaning "gentleman, lord" or "Mr." It is likely that this name was originally bestowed as a nickname on someone who behaved in an aristocratic manner.

Early Origins of the Heer family

The surname Heer was first found in Holland, where the ancestral home of the Heer family is thought to be located. During the Middle Ages, the name was also found in Germany, under the High German variation "Herr." The Heer family was instrumental during its early years, contributing greatly to the development of the society of the Netherlands.

Early History of the Heer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Heer research. Another 113 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1534, 1570, 1584, 1591, 1636, 1809 and 1841 are included under the topic Early Heer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Heer Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Heer, De Heer, Heere, Heeren, Heerdt, Van Heerdt, Van Heeren and many more.

Early Notables of the Heer family

From this era of Dutch history, those of this who distinguished themselves included

Lucas van Heere (1534-1584), a famous Flemish painter and poet. Born at Ghent in 1534, he was the son of Jan D'Heere, the leading statuary in Ghen. 1
Henri de Heer (1570-1636), was a Belgian scholar and philosopher; Michael Heer (b. 1591), a painter, and Pieter Otto Coenraad Vorsselman de Heer (1809-1841), was a Dutch professor of physics

Heer Ranking

In the United States, the name Heer is the 15,808^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2

Heer migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Heer Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johan Heer, who landed in New York in 1709 3
Johan Martin Heer, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1749 3
Anna Heer, who landed in America in 1750 3
Hans Heer, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1751 3
Margaretha Heer, who landed in America in 1751 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Heer Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Johann Gottlieb Heer, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1837 3
John Heer, aged 28, who arrived in Missouri in 1844 3
Elizabeth De Heer, who landed in Iowa in 1856 3
Aart De Heer, who landed in Iowa in 1856 3
Alewijn De Heer, who arrived in Iowa in 1856 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Heer (post 1700) +

Walter F. Heer, American Democratic Party politician, Presidential Elector for Ohio, 1940; Defeated, 1956; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Ohio, 1944, 1948, 1960, 1964 4
Mrs. Fred J. Heer, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Ohio, 1924 4
Fred J. Heer, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Ohio, 1912; Candidate for Presidential Elector for Ohio, 1924 4
Gottlieb Heinrich Heer (1903-1967), German writer

Historic Events for the Heer family +

Bismarck

Erich Heer (1922-1941), German Matrose X who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 5

Citations +

Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details