Heint

Heint is a surname of Germanic origin. It most likely derives from the given name Heinrich (the German form of Henry) and functioned as a patronymic or diminutive in medieval German-speaking communities. The spelling Heint, and related forms such as Heintz, Heinz, Heints, or Hein, reflect regional pronunciation and historical shifts in orthography.

In genealogical records, Heint appears in church and civil registries dating from late medieval times onward. Like many Germanic surnames, it was formed as a patronymic or locational name, indicating lineage from an ancestor named Heinrich or a place associated with that name.

The surname is found primarily in Germany and neighboring German-speaking regions, with descendants in Austria, Switzerland, and among emigrant communities in North America and elsewhere. It remains relatively uncommon compared with more widespread German surnames.

Notable individuals with the surname Heint are not widely documented in major reference works, though local histories and genealogical databases include people bearing the name.

In fiction and popular culture, Heint is occasionally used as a character name, but there is no single work that centers on this name.