Hehn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Those lands along the southeast coast of the Baltic sea were the birthplace of the great Prussian name Hehn. A single name was, at one time, all that people needed. However, increasing ease of travel and the burgeoning populations forced people to adopt a hereditary surname to set themselves apart from others. A common form of surname found in Prussia was the local name, a name taken on from an existing place-name. The surname Hehn was first used by someone who lived in many places throughout Prussia. The surname Hehn was created from the widespread and popular Christian name Heinrich. According to some, the name comes from heim, and rich, meaning "ruler of the home."

Early Origins of the Hehn family

The surname Hehn was first found in Prussia, where the family contributed greatly to the development of an emerging nation and would later play a large role in the political conflicts of the area. The family branched into many houses, many of which acquired estates and manors throughout the surrounding regions, where they played significant roles in the social and political affairs. The name became popular from its use among many Germanic Emperors and nobles. Most noted among these were Heinrich I (der Vogler) and Heinrich II, both of whom are also holy figures. Others include Heinrich VII of Luxemburg and Prince Heinrich the Lion of Brunswick. Individual bearers of the family name first mentioned in ancient chronicles include Heinrich Heymrich of Kassel in 1368.

Early History of the Hehn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hehn research. Another 331 words (24 lines of text) covering the years 1631, 1654, 1738, 1760, 1781, 1805 and 1861 are included under the topic Early Hehn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hehn Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Hehn include Heinrich, Heinreich, Heinrick, Heinricke, Heinrichs, Heinritz, Heimrich, Heimreich, Heimrick, Heimricke, Heimrichs, Heimritz, Hinerich, Hinerick, Hinereich, Hinericke, Hinerichs, Hinreich, Hinrich, Hinrick, Hinricke, Hinrichs, Hinritz, Hennerich, Hennericks, Hennereich and many more.

Early Notables of the Hehn family

More information is included under the topic Early Hehn Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hehn migration to the United States +

Prussia played an extremely influential role in shaping modern German history. It remained a part of Germany until after the Second World War. Prussia was divided among the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany and West Germany. Many Prussians became residents of these new countries after the War, and many migrated to other parts of Germany or Europe, as well as to North America. In the United States, the majority of settlers landed in Philadelphia, and moved on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Many German settlers also migrated to Canada, particularly to Ontario and the Prairies. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Hehn were

Hehn Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johann Peter Hehn, who landed in America in 1741 1
Philip Hehn, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1765 1

Hehn Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Henry Hehn, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1841 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Hehn (post 1700) +

Paul N. Hehn (1927-2014), American historian who specialized in World War II
Keri Hehn (b. 1981), American bronze medalist swimmer a the 2007 Pan American Games
Sascha Hehn (b. 1954), German actor
Hans-Jürgen Hehn (b. 1944), German two-time Olympic silver medalist fencer in the 1976 Summer Olympics

Citations +

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)