HEDIN
Hedin is a surname of Scandinavian origin that has spread across Europe and into the wider world. The name derives from the Old Norse personal name Hæðinn, which historically meant “heathen” or “pagan”. In medieval Scandinavia it was used to describe individuals who adhered to pre‑Christian beliefs or practices. Over time the personal name became inherited as a family surname.
The spelling Hedin is most commonly found in Sweden, where a 2014 survey identified it as the twenty‑fourth most frequent surname in the country. In 2019 there were an estimated 10,377 people in Sweden listed with the surname. The name also appears in Denmark and Norway under the same spelling, though it is less common there.
In the United States, Hedin is the 5,082nd most common surname, with a concentration in the Midwest. The name is also recorded in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In Finland the surname is often spelled Heikkinen and is highly frequent, while in Estonia it is rendered as Haidin and is believed to have developed during the Middle Ages by adapting the Swedish or Finnish form. The spelling Gediminas appears in Lithuania, Russia, and Ukraine, tracing back to Grand Duke Gediminas of the 14th century.
Other variants of the name include Hede, Hedde, Hedou, Hedon, Hedman, Hedin‑au, Heddin, Heddon, Heddyn, Heden, Hedden, Hiddin, Hadden, Hidan, Hiedin, Hiedon, Hiedyn, Hyedin and Hyddin. French records show alternate forms such as Hedau, Hedaux, Hedou and Heden, with the earliest French cases associated either with the Germanic personal name Haido or Hadu, meaning “battle”, or with a locational origin referring to a heath or moor.
In Scandinavian tradition the surname is rarely employed as a given name, though it can appear as a middle name for boys and is occasionally used for girls, particularly within the Scandinavian diaspora. The surname’s prevalence in modern times is largely a result of its adoption by numerous families in Sweden and its subsequent migration to other countries during periods of emigration.
Typical given names associated with the Hedin surname
Male
- Svante
Female
- Sj
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Hedin in...
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There are approximately 29 people named Hedin in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Fewer than one in a million people in Britain are named Hedin.
