Show ContentsHirsh History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The roots of the distinguished German surname Hirsh lie in Silesia. The name literally means "deer, hart," and is likely of occupational origin. The initial bearer of the name was probably a herdsman or a keeper of deer.

Early Origins of the Hirsh family

The surname Hirsh was first found in Silesia, where the name emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of the region. From the 13th century the surname was identified with the great social and economic evolution which made this territory a landmark contributor to the development of the nation.

Early History of the Hirsh family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hirsh research. Another 134 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1791, 1808, 1818, 1831, 1869, 1888 and 1896 are included under the topic Early Hirsh History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hirsh Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Hirsch, Hirsche, Hirschel, Hirsh, Hersch, Herschel and many more.

Early Notables of the Hirsh family

Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hirsh Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hirsh Ranking

In the United States, the name Hirsh is the 12,038th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1


United States Hirsh migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Hirsh Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Frederick Hirsh, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1765 2
  • Philip Hirsh, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1765 2
  • Simon Hirsh, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1765 2
  • John Henry Hirsh, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1767 2
  • Michael Hirsh, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1767 2

Australia Hirsh migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Hirsh Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Augustus Hirsh, aged 19, who arrived in South Australia in 1848 aboard the ship "Alfred" 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Hirsh (post 1700) +

  • Gary "Chicken" Hirsh (1940-2021), American drummer, best known for his work with the rock group Country Joe and the Fish who was featured at Woodstock
  • Ed Hirsh, American Academy Award nominated special effects artist, known for his work in Star Wars: Episode VI-Return of the Jedi (1983), Pearl Harbor (2001) and Star Wars: Episode V-The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
  • Jason Michael Hirsh (b. 1982), American former Major League Baseball starting pitcher who played from 2006 to 2008
  • Hallee Leah Hirsh (b. 1987), American actress known for her role as Daley in the children's series Flight 29 Down
  • Michael Hirsh, American former foreign editor and chief diplomatic correspondent for Newsweek
  • David Hirsh (b. 1967), English Lecturer in Sociology at Goldsmiths College, University of London
  • David Julian Hirsh (b. 1973), Canadian actor
  • Aaron Hirsh (1724-1800), birth name of Aaron Philip Hart, English businessman in Lower Canada and one of the first Jews to settle in the colony, considered the father of Canadian Jewry
  • Shahar Hirsh (b. 1993), Israeli footballer
  • Jesse Hirsh, Canadian broadcaster, researcher, and Internet evangelist in Toronto
  • ... (Another 3 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. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ALFRED 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Alfred.htm


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