Show ContentsHinrichs History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The historic German region of Prussia was the original home of the name Hinrichs. Hinrichs was a local name, a type of hereditary surname that identified people by the places where they lived. Landowners were the first to use local names, which often used the prefix "von," meaning "of" or "from," in some cases a mark of aristocratic birth. Local names are by far the most common type of German hereditary surname. Hinrichs was a name for someone who lived in many places throughout Prussia. The surname Hinrichs 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 Hinrichs family

The surname Hinrichs 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 Hinrichs family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hinrichs 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 Hinrichs History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hinrichs Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Hinrichs 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 Hinrichs family

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

Hinrichs Ranking

In the United States, the name Hinrichs is the 8,291st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [1]


United States Hinrichs migration to the United States +

Much of German history has been shaped by the state of Prussia. It was an enduring military power until after the Second World War. At that time, the state was abolished altogether and its land divided between the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany and West Germany. While some Prussians were content to remain in those countries, others moved away, many of them migrating to North America. They entered the United States mostly through Philadelphia, moving on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Others went to Canada, settling on the prairies and in the province of Ontario. Among those of this surname listed in various historical records were:

Hinrichs Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Frederick Hinrichs, aged 27, who arrived in Missouri in 1839 [2]
  • Nicolaus Hinrichs, aged 21, who landed in Missouri in 1840 [2]
  • Hans Hinrichs, who landed in New York, NY in 1850 [2]
  • John Hinrichs, aged 21, who arrived in New York in 1862 [2]
Hinrichs Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Andreas Roelf Hinrichs, who arrived in Alabama in 1913 [2]
  • Claus Hinrichs, who landed in Alabama in 1916 [2]

Contemporary Notables of the name Hinrichs (post 1700) +

  • Paul Edwin "Herky" Hinrichs (1925-2023), American Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox during the 1951 season
  • William Louis "Dutch" Hinrichs (1889-1972), American pitcher in Major League Baseball
  • Gustav Ludwig Wilhelm Hinrichs (1850-1942), German-born American conductor and composer
  • Kirk James Hinrichs (b. 1981), American professional basketball player
  • Hermann Friedrich Wilhelm Hinrichs (1794-1861), German philosopher
  • Lars Hinrichs (b. 1976), German entrepreneur
  • Denise Hinrichs (b. 1987), German shot putter
  • Jean Hinrichs Everard (1905-1985), American Illustrator, painter, and author, who worked under the name Eric Sloan
  • Judy Hinrichs Migliano, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1980 [3]


  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. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 23) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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