Explore the Family Name Berkebile
The meaning of Berkebile
Americanized form of South German Birckenbühl, a topographic name meaning ‘hill of birch trees’, from Middle High German birke ‘birch’ and bühel ‘hill’, or, alternatively, Birkenbeil, from Middle High German birke ‘birch’ and bīl ‘axe’, or Birkenbeul, a habitational name from Birkenbeul in Rhineland-Palatinate. The surname Birckenbühl is no longer found in Germany. Compare Burkepile and Purkeypile. History: The Berkebiles trace their origin to Johann Arnold Birckenbuehl (or Birkenbeil, Birkenbeul) from Germany, whose sons immigrated to North America in the middle of the 18th century. Their descendants also bear other altered forms of the surname, such as Burkepile, Purkeypile, Purkey, and Perkey.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Berkebile in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Berkebile has seen a minor decline. In 2000, the surname was ranked 21,981 in terms of its prevalence, while in 2010 it had slipped slightly to 23,002, marking a decrease of 4.64%. However, the actual count of people with this surname increased marginally from 1,100 in 2000 to 1,111 in 2010. Despite this increase, the proportion of the population with this surname per 100,000 people decreased by 7.32%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #21,981 | #23,002 | -4.64% |
| Count | 1,100 | 1,111 | 1% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.41 | 0.38 | -7.32% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Berkebile
In regards to the ethnic identity associated with the surname Berkebile, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals a predominantly White demographic. In 2000, 99.27% of individuals with this surname identified as White, though this figure saw a slight decrease to 98.20% by 2010. The proportion of those identifying as Hispanic showed a substantial increase of 140.00%, albeit from a small base, moving from 0.45% in 2000 to 1.08% in 2010. No significant changes were observed for Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native ethnic groups, as these categories either remained at 0% or the data was suppressed (S) for privacy reasons.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 99.27% | 98.2% | -1.08% |
| Hispanic | 0.45% | 1.08% | 140% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |