Hepburn Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Hepburn last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Hepburn last name
Meaning of the Hepburn last name: high burial mound. Hepburn is a surname from Hepburn in Northumberland, meaning a high burial mound. The family moved into East Lothian, where the Hepburns became Earls of Bothwell. Actresses Audrey and Katharine Hepburn made the last name famous in film. The surname is common in Scotland and northern England.
Arms associated with the Hepburn name
Heraldry associated with the Hepburn surname uses a few strong colours, and each coat of arms has its own blazon.
Get your full Hepburn family history
This is only a glimpse of the Hepburn story. The full Hepburn history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Hepburn coat of arms. Get the full Hepburn report.
Hepburn name FAQ
What does the Hepburn name mean?
High burial mound. Common variants include Hebburn, Hepborn.
Where does the Hepburn surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Hepburn coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Hepburn coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).