Explore the Family Name Berkel
The meaning of Berkel
Dutch (mainly Van Berkel) and German: habitational name from any of the villages so called in North Brabant and South Holland, or from Berkel in Hamelin in Lower Saxony, Germany. The placename is derived from berk ‘birch’ and lo ‘open space in a wood’. Compare Barkley, Pirkle, and Pirtle.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Berkel in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Berkel saw a decrease in popularity from 2000 to 2010. The ranking of the surname fell from 39,111 in 2000 to 44,500 in 2010, indicating a 13.78% drop. Similarly, the census showed a decrease in the number of people carrying the Berkel surname, with the count falling from 530 to 483, a decline of 8.87%. The proportion of people named Berkel per 100,000 population also decreased by 20%, going from 0.2 in 2000 to 0.16 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #39,111 | #44,500 | -13.78% |
| Count | 530 | 483 | -8.87% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.2 | 0.16 | -20% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Berkel
As for the ethnic identity associated with the Berkel surname, Decennial U.S. Census data shows it's predominantly associated with individuals of White ethnicity, with an 80.54% share recorded in 2010, slightly down by 0.73% from 2000. The Black community makes up the second-largest group at 13.04% in 2010, a minor decrease from 13.21% in 2000. The Hispanic representation experienced growth over the decade, increasing by 33.33% to reach 3.52%. Those identifying with two or more races slightly decreased, from2.26% in 2000 to 2.07% in 2010. No changes were observed among the Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native communities, as their shares remained at 0 across both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 81.13% | 80.54% | -0.73% |
| Black | 13.21% | 13.04% | -1.29% |
| Hispanic | 2.64% | 3.52% | 33.33% |
| Two or More Races | 2.26% | 2.07% | -8.41% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |