Hearn

Hearn is a surname and, less commonly, a place name. As a surname, it is of English and Irish origin and is commonly treated as a variant of Hearne or Hearns. Etymologies proposed for Hearne/Hearn include derivation from a medieval given name or from Gaelic forms used in Ireland; in many cases the spelling was standardized in later centuries. The name has spread with English- and Irish-speaking populations and is now found in the United States, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Canada, and other Anglophone countries.

In historical records, individuals bearing the name appear in parish and civil registries dating from the medieval period in Britain and Ireland. In North America and elsewhere, people named Hearn have been active in politics, science, arts, business, and sport, reflecting broad social engagement and diversification.

Hearn also appears as a place name in several regions, where it may refer to a locality, street, or landmark named after a person bearing the surname. In some cases, the form Hearne or Hearns is used in related places and families, illustrating the variant spellings that accompany migration and local usage.

Notable bearers of the surname have contributed across fields such as government, literature, athletics, and the sciences, reflecting the name’s broad geographic and social distribution.

See also: Hearne, Hearns, Hearn (disambiguation).