Hines
Usually a variant of Heinz or Heintz, the surname Hines often reflects a German personal name brought into English-speaking use.
The #462 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 4,305 Americans shares it.
Etymology
In many cases, Hines is an anglicized form of a German name such as Heinz or Heintz, shortened from Heinrich, meaning “home ruler” or “ruler of the household.” The final -s can mark “son of” or simply reflect English spelling adaptation. In some English contexts, Hines may also overlap with older forms related to Hine/Hine or Hinds, so the name can have more than one historical pathway.
History
The name appears in English records and is also found among German-speaking immigrants, especially in North American contexts where spellings were adjusted to English habits. Nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century surname writers often grouped Hines with Heinz/Heintz-type German names, especially in Pennsylvania German communities. Because similar spellings arose in more than one language area, family lines with this surname may not share a single origin.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older surname lists sometimes file Hines right alongside Heinz and Heintz, showing how easily immigrant spellings shifted in English records.
From the historical record
“1747. Married— Anthony Monaey and Sarah Hines: ibid. p. 168. London, 4, i ; Manchester, 4, a : MDB. (CO. CuraberlandX 13, o ; New York, o, I ; Boston (U.S-X o, 5.”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (alternate scan)