Herz History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Belgium
Germany
Israel

The ancestral home of the Herz family is in the German province of Bavaria. Herz is a German nickname surname. Such names came from eke-names, or added names, that described their initial bearer through reference to a physical characteristic or other attribute. It is a name for a kindhearted or stalwart individual, and is derived from the German word herz, which means heart.

Early Origins of the Herz family

The surname Herz was first found in Bavaria, where this family made important contributions toward the development of this district from ancient times. Always prominent in social and political affairs, the family formed alliances with other families within the Feudal System and the nation. Individual bearers of this name first mentioned in ancient chronicles include Martin Hercz, who lived in the Bohemian town of Iglau around the year 1383.

Early History of the Herz family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Herz research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1803, 1835, 1888 and 1902 are included under the topic Early Herz History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Herz 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 Herz include Hertz, Hertze, Herttz, Herttze, Herz, Herze, Herzz, Herzze, Haertz, Haerz, Herts and many more.

Early Notables of the Herz family

Prominent among members of the name Herz in this period include

Henri Herz (1803-1888), who was a German pianist and composer...

Herz migration to the United States +

The great European flow of migration to North America, which began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century, was particularly attractive to those from Bavaria who wished to escape either poverty or religious persecution. For many Bavarian tenant farmers, the chance to own their own land was a major incentive. So the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlement centered in Ontario and the prairie provinces. Among those of this surname listed in various historical records were:

Herz Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Samson Herz, who landed in America in 1833 1
Christian Herz, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1834
Christian Herz, who arrived in America in 1842 1
Friedrich Herz, who arrived in New York, NY in 1846 1
Maria Barbara Herz, who landed in Missouri in 1847 1
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Herz (post 1700) +

Shirley Herz (1925-2013), American Tony award for Excellence in Theatre award winning Broadway theatre production press representative
Adam Herz (b. 1972), American screenwriter and producer, best known for his work on the American Pie films
Michael Herz, American film producer, director, screenwriter and co-founder of Troma Entertainment
William Herz, American politician, U.S. Vice Consul General in Vienna, 1884 2
Martin Florian Herz (1917-1983), American politician, U.S. Ambassador to Bulgaria, 1974-77 2
George Washington Herz, American Republican politician, Candidate for New York State Senate 2nd District, 1928 2
Charles Herz, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Wyoming, 2004; Member, Rules Committee, 2008 2
Winfried Herz (b. 1929), retired German footballer
Marcus "Markus" Herz (1747-1803), German physician and lecturer on philosophy
Bertrand Herz (1930-2021), French engineer and university teacher, Holocaust survivor
... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 6) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html