Named in 1853 by Adolph Kenngott in allusion to the hemimorphic morphology of the crystals. Many names were previously assigned to this species, including calamine. Hemimorphite was chosen by the International Mineralogical Association, over calamine, in 1962.
In 2020 a number of electric-blue crystals of hemimorphite crystals came to market, from the Ojuela mine, Mapimi, Mexico. These have been proven to be deceptively stained using the artificial compound Phthalocyanine Blue BN. See discussion:https://www.mindat.org/mesg-537289.html#538010