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Herod Family History

Herod Surname Meaning

English: usually a variant of Herald (Middle English Herald Heraud Heroud). Occasionally the name may have been used as a nickname in allusion to the Biblical King Herod played as a bragging tyrant in medieval mystery plays or for someone who had an overbearing temper but evidence to support this possibility is lacking.

Herod (Greek Hērōdēs apparently derived from hērōs ‘hero’) was the name of the king of Judea (died AD) who at the time of the birth of Christ ordered that all male children in Bethlehem should be slaughtered (Matthew 16-18).

American shortened form of Greek Herodiadis, a patronymic from the classical personal name Hērodiōn. This was the name of a relative of Saint Paul and an early Bishop of Patras venerated in the Orthodox Church.

Hērodēs ‘Herod’ is also found in Greek as a nickname for a violent man but this is less likely to be the source of the surname.

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


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Where is the Herod family from?

You can see how Herod families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Herod family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Herod families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 77 Herod families living in Lancashire. This was about 20% of all the recorded Herod's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Herod families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Herod surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Herod ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Herod. 32% of Herod men worked as a General Labourer and 79% of Herod women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Herod were Granite Floor Labourer Heavy Work and Household Duties.

View Census Data for Herod | 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

  • General Labourer
    32%
  • Methodist Minister
    16%
  • Railway Signalman
    11%
  • Granite Floor Labourer Heavy Work
    11%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    79%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%
  • Housekeeper
    3%
  • Household Duties
    3%

What Herod family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 15,000 census records available for the last name Herod. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Herod census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Herod

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Herod. 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 Herod immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Herod. For the veterans among your Herod ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Herod family history

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What is the average Herod lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Herod life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Herod in 1948 was 45, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Herod

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Herod ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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