Hector (surname)

Hector

The mythical Trojan prince Hector, influenced the popularity of this surname across languages during the medieval period.
Languages	English, Dutch, French and German
Origin
Meaning	"hold in check"
Region of origin	England, France, Germany, Netherlands
Other names
Variant forms	Eachann ; Hector (given name); Hekter

The surname Hector is an English, Dutch, French and German surname.

Origin of the surname

The English surname is derived from a Gaelic personal name Eachdonn, composed of the elements each (horse) and donn (brown). This name was assimilated with Hector , the name of the Trojan king's eldest son. The Classical Greek Hekter is probably derived from the Greek ekhein, meaning "hold in check". ^[1]

The Dutch, French, and German surnames are also derived from the Greek name. Hector is rarely found as a French surname. In medieval Germany, the personal name was quite popular among the noble class.^{[ citation needed ]}

Notable people

• Auckland Hector (1945–2017), Kittitian cricketer
• Benjamin Hector (born 1979), South African cricketer
• Bruce Hector (born 1994), American football player
• James Hector (1834–1907), Scottish geologist, naturalist, and surgeon
• Jamie Hector (born 1975), American actor of Haitian descent
• Jonas Hector (born 1990), German footballer
• Kate Hector (born 1981), South African hockey player
• Kevin Hector (born 1944), English footballer who played for Bradford Park Avenue and Derby County
• Louis Hector (1883–1968), American actor
• Willie Hector (born 1939), American football player
• Veronica Dorsette-Hector, Montserratian politician

References

1. Hanks, Patrick; Hodges, Flavia; Mils, A. D.; Room, Adrian, eds. (2002). The Oxford names companion. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press. p. 286 & 777. ISBN   0198605617.