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

Hess Family History

Hess Name Meaning

German Dutch Danish and Jewish (Ashkenazic): habitational name for someone from the territory of Hesse (see Hessen ). South German: from a short form of the personal name Matthäus (see Matthew ). German and Dutch: from the ancient Germanic personal name Hesso a derivative of a compound name formed with hadu ‘strife’ as the first element or from a pet form of Herman or Hendrik (see Henry ).

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


Similar surnames: Hass, Huss, Heiss, Ness, Hees, Gess, Heis, Hiss, Ress, Hehl

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 Hess family from?

You can see how Hess families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Hess family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Hess families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 78 Hess families living in London. This was about 44% of all the recorded Hess's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Hess families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Hess surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Hess ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Company Director and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Hess. 100% of Hess men worked as a Company Director and 53% of Hess women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. .

View Census Data for Hess | 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 1939

  • Company Director
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    53%
  • Private Means
    10%
  • Cook
    5%
  • Musician
    5%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Hess family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 267,000 census records available for the last name Hess. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Hess census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Hess

Passenger Lists

There are 34,000 immigration records available for the last name Hess. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Hess immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 86,000 military records available for the last name Hess. For the veterans among your Hess ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Hess military records

You've only scratched the surface of Hess family history

Discover More

What is the average Hess lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Hess life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Hess in 1940 was 40, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Hess

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Hess family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Hess last name

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