The Herd surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 4,803 people carried this name — #6,982 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 61,300 people counted. That is down 9% from 5,287 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Herd surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as an occupational name: ‘the herd’.

An early record he cites: Robert le Hirde, Suffolk, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Herd, Heard, Hird and Hurd.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 376 · public domain.

In the Nordic population registers

64 people named Herd is counted in Finland.

Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.

Counted, by country

Finland (2026) 64

Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.

In Scotland’s registers today

Herd was recorded 43 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 612th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 64. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In print

Herd in American newspapers,
1902–1922.

Newspaper page from New-york Tribune carrying the name Herd
New-york Tribune 1922-08-20
Newspaper page from The Evening Times carrying the name Herd
The Evening Times 1902-07-16
Newspaper page from The San Francisco Call carrying the name Herd
The San Francisco Call 1913-08-17

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 1,591 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Herd in Australian newspapers,
1810s–1990s.

23,500 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Herd. The most, 4,297, date from the 1930s.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 9,488
Victoria 5,285
Queensland 3,990
South Australia 1,863
Western Australia 1,522
Tasmania 1,222
ACT (Canberra) 97
Northern Territory 14

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Herd.

Who carried it

People named Herd,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Sandy Herd
    Sandy Herd 1868–1944 · golfer
  • Sandy Herd
    Sandy Herd 1868–1944 · golfer
  • Fred Herd
    Fred Herd 1874–1954 · golfer
  • Fred Herd
    Fred Herd 1874–1954 · golfer
  • Joseph Herd d. 1788
  • Thomas Herd d. 1767

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Herd,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States592 records

592 records of the Herd name in the United States
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 189
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 148
  • Other U.S. records 255
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Bennie M. Herd

    Born 1915 in Texas. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Bliss El Paso; driver from Hill County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 2000, buried at Salem-Irene Cemetery, Texas.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Josephina Herd

    Arrived at New York in 1894 aboard the Waesland from Antwerp, aged 18; laborer. From Germany; bound for Jersey City.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Ronald Ward Herd

    Born 1948; from Dallas, Texas. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1970 in Binh Dinh, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 592 records for Herd in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia419 records

419 records of the Herd name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 189
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 87
  • Other Australian records 143
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Peter Herd

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Bangalaore, arriving 1850; ticket of leave 1857.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Janet Herd

    Arrived in Victoria in 1852 aboard the Marco Polo, aged 20; Scottish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Charles Herd

    Died 1863 in Launceston, Tasmania, aged 23.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 419 records for Herd in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Germany45 records

45 records of the Herd name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Jakob Herd

    From Osthofen, Worms. Reported taken prisoner in the Prussian casualty list of 28 October 1915 (Infantry Regiment No. 118).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Joseph Herd

    From Bösenbilsen, Schlettstadt. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 5 January 1915 (Infantry Regiment No. 171).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  3. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Wilhelm Herd

    From Glauberg, Büdingen. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 6 June 1916 (Infantry Regiment No. 81).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 3 of 45 records for Herd in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

New Zealand35 records

35 records of the Herd name in New Zealand
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 21
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 13
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Charles Herd

    Died 1961, aged 82; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Newman Herd

    Died 1956, aged 72; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record George Herd

    Buried in 1908 at Buffalo Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 35 records for Herd in New Zealand.

Counts: Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

United Kingdom35 records

35 records of the Herd name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 18
  • Stirling Council burial records 7
  • Other British records 10
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Francis Herd

    Born 1873 at Rothes; mason. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Peter Herd

    Buried in 1975 at Killin Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 70.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Elizabeth Herd

    Will proved in 1932; of Llandrillo yn Rhos, Denbigh.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)

Showing 3 of 35 records for Herd in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada32 records

32 records of the Herd name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 11
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 6
  • Other Canadian records 15
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jas Herd

    Came to Ontario in 1871 aboard the St. Andrew, bound for Hamilton, Ontario; Scotch.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Cecil Mae Herd

    Buried in 2000 at Burnsland Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 101.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Walter Herd

    Died 1929 in Chester, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 32 records for Herd in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Netherlands9 records

9 records of the Herd name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 7
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 1
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Harold Ormond Herd

    Married in 1945 in Apeldoorn; electrician.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Cornelis Herd

    Married in 1634 in Tiel.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Archief Rivierenland (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Sebastian Herd

    In the population register of Eindhoven; born 1887 in Lorsch.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Historisch Centrum Eindhoven (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 9 records for Herd in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

France1 record

1 record of the Herd name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Barbara Herd

    Born 1931 in Great Britain; died 2000 in Léhon (Côtes-d'Armor).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Herd.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Herd is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Herd volume
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