Heiden (surname)

The surname Heiden has a number of different spellings including Haydn, Heide, Heid, Heidling, Heideling, Heidt, Heyde. The toponym exists as Heiden in a number of places in Germany and Switzerland.[1][2]

As a nickname, it comes from the Middle High German heiden meaning "Heathen". The Middle High German heiden in turn comes from the Old High German heidano, a derivative of heida, "heath".[1][2] Many have taken the name Haydn as a given name, after the composer Joseph Haydn, whose name comes from the use of heiden as a nickname to mean "heathen".[3]

As an Ashkenazi Jewish name it may be a shortened form of placenames with the compound Heide, such as Heidenberg.[1] It may also be another use of the nickname Heida, meaning "heathen".[2]

As a Dutch name it is a shortened version of the surname Vanderheyden.[1]

People with the surname
  • Anton Heiden (1960), former water polo player from The Netherlands
  • Bernhard Heiden (1910–2000), German-American composer and music teacher
  • Beth Heiden (born 1959), American athlete
  • Erhard Heiden (1901–1933), an early member of the Nazi Party and the third commander of the Schutzstaffel (SS)
  • Eric Heiden (born 1958), American speed skater
  • Frederick Heiden (1821–1900) governor general of Finland
  • Konrad Heiden (1901–1966), journalist and historian of Nazi Germany
  • Ira Heiden (born 1966), American television and film actor
  • Siem Heiden (1905–1993), Dutch speed skater
  • Sona Heiden, Indian film actress and model
  • Steve Heiden (born 1976), American football player
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References
  1. Oxford Dictionary of Family Names: Hayden, Answers.com, retrieved 2 August 2014. This webpage is a partial transcription of Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, 2006.
  2. Surname Database: Heiden, Surnamedb.com, retrieved 2 August 2014.
  3. Oxford Reference: Haydn, Oxfordreference.com, retrieved 2 August 2014.
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