The Irish surname Hearns is an anglicized form of the Gaelic name Ó hEachthighearna meaning “descendant of Eachthighearna,” a personal name meaning ‘lord of horses’, from each  meaning‘horse’ and tighearna meaning ‘master, or lord’. In Ireland, the name is most common in the southwest. Their territory was in the neighborhood of Sixmilebridge, County Clare. From here they migrated southwards to County Cork and Waterford. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Alan O'Hathern alias O'Hachierane, which was dated 1336 - 1347, who was the Bishop of Kerry.