Summary

The surname Hess is of German origin and is derived from the Middle High German word 'hezer' meaning 'bush' or 'hazel'. It was originally a topographic name given to someone who lived near a hazelnut bush or grove. The Hess family can be traced back to ancient times in the German-speaking regions of Europe.
There are
59486
Hesss in the USA
Hess is the
564th
most common last name in the USA

Historical figures and celebrities called Hess

RudolfHess

Rudolf Hess was a prominent figure in Nazi Germany and served as Adolf Hitler's Deputy Fuhrer. He played a key role in the early days of the Nazi regime but later fell out of favor and was imprisoned.

ViktorHess

Victor Hess was an Austrian physicist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1936 for his discovery of cosmic rays. His experiments contributed significantly to our understanding of high-energy particles from outer space.

MosesHess

Moses Hess was a German philosopher and one of the founders of modern socialism. He is best known for his book 'The Communist Manifesto,' which influenced the ideas of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.

MyrtleHess

Myrtle Hess was an American mathematician and computer scientist who made significant contributions to the development of computer programming languages. She worked on the team that developed the Fortran programming language.

BrantleyHargrove

Brantley Hargrove is an American author and journalist known for his book 'The Man Who Caught the Storm: The Life of Legendary Tornado Chaser Tim Samaras.' He has written extensively on weather and storm chasing.

AnneHess

Anne Hess was an American philanthropist and arts patron. She supported numerous cultural and educational institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

SamuelHess

Samuel Hess was an American scientist and Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1997 for his work on the development of the patch-clamp technique, which revolutionized the study of ion channels.

MauriceHesse

Maurice Hesse was a French composer and music critic. He was a prominent figure in the early 20th century French music scene and wrote several well-known compositions.

AugusteHesse

Auguste Hesse was a German painter known for his landscapes and genre scenes. He was part of the Düsseldorf school of painting and had a successful career in the 19th century.

LudwigHesse

Ludwig Hesse was a German mathematician who made significant contributions to the field of algebraic geometry. He developed important theories and concepts that are still studied today.

Hess Genealogy

OriginsThe surname 'Hess' is of German origin and is derived from the Old High German word 'hesso,' meaning 'huntsman' or 'bowman.' It was originally an occupational name for someone involved in hunting or archery.
Geographic DistributionThe surname 'Hess' is most commonly found in Germany, particularly in the Hessen region. It is also relatively common in other German-speaking countries such as Austria and Switzerland.
VariationsVariations of the surname 'Hess' include 'Hesse,' 'Hesler,' and 'Heß.'
Migration and ImmigrationPeople with the surname 'Hess' have migrated and emigrated to various countries, including the United States, Canada, and Australia. Many German immigrants with the name 'Hess' settled in these countries during periods of mass migration in the 19th and early 20th centuries.