History of your Surname
Get access to Herbert family records.Start a free trial

Herbert Family History

Herbert Name Meaning

German English and French: from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements heri hari ‘army’ + berht ‘bright famous’. In Britain this Old French name introduced by the Normans reinforced the less common Old English cognate Herebeorht. The surname was taken to Ireland after the Anglo-Norman invasion and in the 16th century. Jewish (Ashkenazic): from the German personal name (see 1 above).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Helbert, Hergert, Seibert, Hulbert, Hilbert, Hebert, Sebert, Herbel

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Herbert family from?

You can see how Herbert families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Herbert family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Herbert families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 453 Herbert families living in Ontario. This was about 38% of all the recorded Herbert's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Herbert families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Herbert surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Herbert ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Herbert. 27% of Herbert men worked as a Farmer and 16% of Herbert women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Herbert were Cultivateur and Student. .

View Census Data for Herbert | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    27%
  • Labourer
    12%
  • Laborer
    6%
  • Cultivateur
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Stenographer
    16%
  • Farmer
    9%
  • Operator
    8%
  • Student
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Herbert family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 403,000 census records available for the last name Herbert. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Herbert census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Herbert

Passenger Lists

There are 48,000 immigration records available for the last name Herbert. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Herbert immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 49,000 military records available for the last name Herbert. For the veterans among your Herbert ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Herbert military records

You've only scratched the surface of Herbert family history

Discover More

What is the average Herbert lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Herbert life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1949, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Herbert in 1944 was 57, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Herbert

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Herbert family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Herbert last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial