Show ContentsHeineman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The distinguished surname Heineman is of German origin. It is derived from the Old Germanic personal name "Heinrich," and denotes "a son of Heinrich." The personal name literally means "home ruler," and was among the most popular names in Europe during the Middle Ages. There is no known specific region of origin for the surname, but the suffix "-mann" is characteristic of names originating in the northern regions of Pomerania, Mecklenburg, and Schleswig-Holstein.

Early Origins of the Heineman family

The surname Heineman was first found in various regions of Germany. Due to the widespread popularity of the personal name "Heinrich" during the Middle Ages, it is likely that several branches of the Heineman family emerged independently during this period. The young Heineman family was instrumental during this early period, playing a crucial role in the development of medieval German society.

Early History of the Heineman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Heineman research. Another 88 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1771, 1781, 1819, 1820, 1902 and 1906 are included under the topic Early Heineman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Heineman Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Heinemann, Heineman, Heine, Heyne, Hein, Heyn, Heinemamm, Heinel, Heindl, Heinle and many more.

Early Notables of the Heineman family

Notables of the time with the name Heineman included

  • David Heinemann (1819-1902), a German painter, and Ernst Otto Adolf von Heinemann (1820-1906), a famous army general

Heineman Ranking

In the United States, the name Heineman is the 12,609th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1


United States Heineman migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Heineman Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Johannes Heineman, who landed in America in 1832 2
  • Frederick Heineman, who arrived in New York in 1843 2
  • Carl Heineman, who landed in New York in 1850 2
  • Henry Heineman, who landed in Mississippi in 1876 2

New Zealand Heineman migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Heineman Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Frederick Heineman, (b. 1840), aged 21, British labourer travelling from London aboard the ship "Mystery" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 7th January 1862 3
  • Mr. Hermann Heineman, (b. 1842), aged 19, British labourer travelling from London aboard the ship "Mystery" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 7th January 1862 3
  • Mr. Heinrick Heineman, (b. 1845), aged 16, British labourer travelling from London aboard the ship "Mystery" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 7th January 1862 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Heineman (post 1700) +

  • Frederick K. Heineman (1929-2010), U.S. Congressman from North Carolina
  • David Eugene "Dave" Heineman (b. 1948), 39th Governor of Nebraska
  • Dannie Heineman (1872-1962), American engineer and businessman
  • Benjamin W. Heineman (b. 1914), American former railroad executive
  • Phyllis M. Heineman, American Republican politician, Member of South Dakota State Senate 13th District; Elected 2010 4
  • Kenneth Heineman, American politician, Mayor of Muskegon Heights, Michigan, 1967 4
  • Joseph A. Heineman, American politician, Mayor of Butler, Pennsylvania, 1920, 1929 4
  • Frederick Heineman (1929-2010), American Republican politician, U.S. Representative from North Carolina 4th District, 1995-97; Defeated, 1996 4
  • David Eugene Heineman (b. 1948), American Republican politician, Nebraska State Treasurer, 1995-2001; Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska, 2001-05; Governor of Nebraska, 2005- 4
  • David Emil Heineman (b. 1865), American Republican politician, Member of Michigan State House of Representatives from Wayne County 1st District, 1899-1900; Candidate in primary for Lieutenant Governor of Michigan, 1916, 1918 4
  • ... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 26) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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