Surname Histed - Meaning and Origin

Histed: What does the surname Histed mean?

The last name Histed is most commonly found in English-speaking countries such as the United Kingdom, Ireland and the United States, where it is also known as Husted, Hustedt or Hustead. The surname is believed to be derived from the English personal name “Hugh” or “Hewett”, and has also been found in Holland, Denmark and Germany.

The earliest recorded use of the name was in 1332, when Robert Hestud was found in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset. Possible variants of the surname include Hestud, Hastud, and Hussein.

The meaning of the surname Histed is traditionally thought to be derived either from the old English word “husting”, meaning “a hill” or “hillside”, or from the early English word “hestond”, meaning “a personal name”. There are also references to the surname's roots in the Old English word “hest”, meaning “horse”, which could suggest that the earliest family members were horse trainers or breeders.

The earliest known geographical distribution of the name was in England, Kent to be exact, where it was the most prominent in the 19th century. Later, many families with the name Histed migrated to the United States and Canada during the late 1800s and early 1900s in search of a better life.

Today, the last name Histed is quite common in English-speaking countries such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and other countries with significant British immigrant populations.

Histed: Where does the name Histed come from?

The last name Histed is most commonly found in the UK and Ireland today. Histed is a patronymic surname, derived from the given name Histar, which is derived from the Anglo-Saxon personal name Hwicce or Walisc, meaning 'one from the kingdom of the Hwicce.' The Hwicce are believed to have inhabited what is now the English West Midlands during the Anglo-Saxon period. Histed is most common in England, where it is ranked at #18,269 for males and #8,418 for females, with a total of 507 people carrying the surname in England as of the 2011 census. It is also found in Ireland, where it is ranked at #8,610 with 234 people having the name. It can be found in smaller numbers in other European countries, particularly those with Anglophone influences.

The name remains concentrated in the same areas today. In England, particularly the West Midlands, the South East, and Yorkshire and Humber regions have the highest concentrations of Histeds, with the population being particularly dense in Derbyshire and Norfolk. In Ireland, counties such as Mayo, Galway, and Cork, have the highest concentrations of Histeds. Although many Histeds have immigrated to America, Canada, and New Zealand, the name has yet to gain much popularity in those countries, and it is still relatively rare to find the last name Histed outside the UK and Ireland.

Variations of the surname Histed

Histed is an English and Scottish surname, derived from the Old English word “hōst” meaning “guard” or “protector”. Through the years, various variants emerged due to the fact that spelling conventions in the English language were not standardized until the 18th century.

In the early English records, the name was spelled variously as Histed, Hysted, Hosted, and Hurst. Other early variants recorded include Histead, Houstead, Hested, and Husting. It is also possible that some family members added letters, such as an additional “t” to differentiate themselves from others with a similar name.

The Scottish variant of Histed, which is no longer in use today, is Hostie. It is believed that the spelling saw its peak popularity in the 17th century.

The adopted surnames of Histed include Huste, Hust, Husting, Hosted, and Hostie. These variants and adopted surnames were mostly used by families in Scotland and North America as a way to further differentiate their lineage.

All of these variant spellings and adopted names are now found in records and documents associated with the Histed family, making it easier for family researchers to trace their ancestry.

Famous people with the name Histed

• Donald Histed: renowned engineer, professor and scientist in the areas of physics, mathematics and engineering
• Brad Histed: Emmy-nominated editor who has worked in television and film for over three decades
• Andrew Histed: acclaimed British actor who has starred in a number of films and television series
• Peter Histed: Norwegian sports journalist who won the Sports Journalists of Norway lifetime achievement award in 2010
• Anne Histed: artist, writer and lecturer who is the author of several novels about the Balkans
• Clive Histed: former English rugby league player who played for Hull FC and Castleford Tigers
• Paul Histed: former professional basketball player and coach for the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA
• Sam Histed: British actor best known for his work on the television series “Call the Midwife”
• David Histed: founder and CEO of the American information technology consulting company Histed IT Solutions
• Stephanie Histed: Australian film director and screenwriter whose films focus on topics such as gender, race and sexuality

Other surnames

HisteadHister