Explore the Family Name Berke
The meaning of Berke
1. German: topographic name for someone who lived by a birch tree or birch grove, Middle Low German berke. In Westphalia Berke, Birke also means ‘brook, stream’, and in some cases it may have been a topographic name for someone who lived by a stream. 2. Altered form of Swiss German Bürki: from a pet form of the personal name Burkhard (see Burkhart). 3. Hungarian: variant of Berkes. 4. Slovenian: of Hungarian origin (see 3 above) or perhaps a topographic name derived from dialect berek ‘marsh with groves’, a loanword from Hungarian (compare Berkey). 5. Jewish (Ashkenazic): from the Yiddish personal name Berke, a pet form of Ber ‘bear’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Berke in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Berke has been growing in popularity within the United States. In 2000, it was ranked as the 13,128th most popular surname, but by 2010, it had risen to the 11,504th spot, representing a 12.37% increase. The number of individuals with this surname also grew significantly during this time period, from 2,135 people in 2000 to 2,734 in 2010, marking an overall increase of 28.06%. The proportion of people with the Berke surname per 100,000 also rose from 0.79 to 0.93, demonstrating a 17.72% uptick.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #13,128 | #11,504 | 12.37% |
| Count | 2,135 | 2,734 | 28.06% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.79 | 0.93 | 17.72% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Berke
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some fluctuations among those with the Berke surname between 2000 and 2010. While there were no identified Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native populations, the percentage of Berkes identifying as white decreased from 94.33% to 86.69%, a change of -8.10%. Meanwhile, the percentage of Hispanics increased from 1.50% to 2.93%, a substantial growth of 95.33%. There was also a significant rise in the population of Berkes identifying as Black, increasing from 2.48% to 8.49%, which constitutes a 242.34% surge. The group identifying as two or more races remained relatively stable, changing from 1.03% in 2000 to 1.02% in 2010, marking a slight decrease of -0.97%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.33% | 86.69% | -8.1% |
| Black | 2.48% | 8.49% | 242.34% |
| Hispanic | 1.5% | 2.93% | 95.33% |
| Two or More Races | 1.03% | 1.02% | -0.97% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |