Explore the Family Name Achilles
The meaning of Achilles
1. German: humanistic name or soldier’s name, with reference to the prowess and near invulnerability of the classical Greek hero (Greek Achilleus), the leading warrior of the Greek army at the siege of Troy. 2. In some cases also an Americanized form of surnames in other languages based on the Greek name Achilleus, such as Italian and French Achille. History: Heinrich Ludwig Achilles was born in c.1746, probably in either Gremscheim or Ammenden, Germany. He emigrated from Brunswick (Braunschweig), and settled in Weare, NH, in 1776. He served in the Hessian army under General Burgoyne at the Battle of Saratoga in 1777.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Achilles in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Achilles saw a slight change in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname was ranked 34,399 in terms of commonality with 623 individuals carrying the name. This represented a proportion of 0.23 per 100,000 people. By 2010, the surname had slightly dropped in rank to 35,489, but surprisingly, the count increased to 634, showing a growth of 1.77%. However, its proportion per 100,000 people decreased by 8.7%, indicating that while more people bore the name, it became less common relative to other surnames.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #34,399 | #35,489 | -3.17% |
| Count | 623 | 634 | 1.77% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.23 | 0.21 | -8.7% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Achilles
Examining the ethnic identity associated with the Achilles surname, the Decennial U.S. Census data showed some noticeable shifts from 2000 to 2010. The majority of individuals with this surname identified as White, which accounted for 92.13% in 2000 and slightly declined to 91.01% in 2010. The biggest change was seen in the Hispanic community, which saw an increase of 310.42%, although it still constituted a small percentage (3.94%) of the total. Conversely, there were decreases in those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, and those of two or more races by 40.99%, 27.80%, and 24.40% respectively. The percentage of those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native remained relatively steady with a minor decrease of 1.25%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 92.13% | 91.01% | -1.22% |
| Hispanic | 0.96% | 3.94% | 310.42% |
| Black | 2.41% | 1.74% | -27.8% |
| Two or More Races | 2.09% | 1.58% | -24.4% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.61% | 0.95% | -40.99% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.8% | 0.79% | -1.25% |