Himes
A surname of uncertain origin, likely a shortened or altered form related to names like Himes/Hines or Himes as a variant of a patronymic line.
The #4,026 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 34,962 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Himes is not securely explained in the provided sources. In English-language surname practice, it is often treated as a variant spelling or altered form of names such as Hines or Hine, which can be patronymic and ultimately refer to a personal name. In some cases it may also reflect Germanic surname patterns, especially where spellings were simplified after immigration.
History
The name appears in American records by the 19th century, including Boston surname lists from the period. Its relatively modest U.S. frequency suggests it remained a minority spelling rather than becoming a dominant family name form. Because the historical sources here only mention it incidentally, its exact origin and the path by which the spelling stabilized remain unclear.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In early American records, spellings like Himes, Hines, and Himes-like forms were often used interchangeably by clerks, so one family line can appear under several versions over time.
From the historical record
“NAMES STILL EXTANT IN BOSTON. 437 HiMES, HiNCHION, HiNCKE, IIlNDEL, IIlNE and IIlNES, HiNKEL, HlNMAN, IIirPEL, IIlPPESLY, lIiRL, IIlllS- CHAUER, HiRTH, HiTTENHIME, IIoACH, IIoCKING, HODET, HODGETTS, HoDGDON aiicl IIODSDON, IIODNETT, HOEFFNER, HOFFENDAHL, HoFFSES, HoFFT, HoGAN, HOITT, HOLDERREID, IIoLTAN and HoLYEN…”
— Suffolk Surnames (3rd ed.)