18,847 Global Herrick Family Members

Herrick Family History

There are approximately 18,847 Herrick family members around the world. In general you can double this figure to include those related to the Herrick names to allow for those connected to the name through maiden name connections.

It is estimated that the largest group of Herrick family members live USA with 16,418 (87.1%), England with 805 (4.3%), Australia with 622 (3.3%), New Zealand with 526 (2.8%), Canada with 391 (2.1%) and Scotland with 31 (0.2%). 

An English relationship name, from the Old Scandinavian personal name Eiríkr, Old Danish, Old Swedish Erik. In English, from the Old Norse personal name Eiríkr, composed of the elements eir ‘mercy’, ‘peace’ + rík ‘power’. 

In Dutch, it is derived from a less common Germanic personal name, composed of the elements heri, hari ‘army’ + ric ‘power’, or from an assimilated form of Henrick, a Dutch form of Henry. 

In Irish, it is an anglicised form of Gaelic Ó hEirc ‘descendant of Erc’, a personal name meaning ‘speckled’, ‘dark red’, or ‘salmon’. 

Early bearers of the surname include: Siwate filius Airic 1154–89 Danelaw Documents (Lincs); John Eirich, 1211 in Leicester Freemen Register (Leics); Nicholas Heyryke, 1524 in Leicester Freemen Register (Leics); Jone Herick, 1565 in IGI (Belgrave, Leics); John Eryke, 1568 in Leicester Freemen Register (Leics); Robart Herrick, 1585 in IGI (Saint Botolph without Bishopsgate, London); Edward Hericke, 1620 in Leicester Freemen Register (Leics).

In 1891 Census, there were 484 occurrences of the surname in England and Wales.

In 1881 Census, the surname was widespread, especially in Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire. In Nottinghamshire, it was reported as a top county for the surname with 58 occurrences.

In 1881, Agricultural Labourer, Farmer and Bricklayer were the top 3 reported jobs worked by Herrick. The most common Herrick occupation in the UK was Agricultural Labourer. A less common occupation was Laundress.

The noted, Robert Herrick (1591 – 1674) was a 17th-century English lyric poet and cleric. He is best known for Hesperides, a book of poems. This includes the carpe diem poem "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time", with the first line "Gather ye rosebuds while ye may".

Richard Herrick (1931-1693), the first living kidney recipient and his brother, Ronald Lee Herrick (1931 - 2010) was the world's first organ donor. On December 23, 1954, Herrick donated one of his kidneys, which was transplanted into his identical twin brother, Richard J. Herrick. Richard Herrick, died eight years after kidney transplantation. 

1881, 1891 Census

1881 Census in Nottinghamshire

Dictionary of American Family Homes, P Hanks OUP 2003

Homes of Family Names in Great Britain, H.B. Guppy, London 1890

The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, P.Hanks, Coats, McClure OUP 2016

1860 Lower, Mark A Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom, London: J.R Smith. Public Domain

1857 Arthur, William An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. New York: Sheldon, Blakeman. Public Domain

J.M.P