Explore the Family Name Eager
The meaning of Eager
1. English: in most cases probably a variant of Agar or Ager. The name might also have arisen as a nickname from Middle English egre ‘sharp, sour’ (Old French aigre), which developed various transferred senses when applied to people, including ‘impetuous’, ‘fierce’, and ‘angry’, and is the source of the modern English word eager. However, no Middle English examples of this kind have been found. 2. Irish (Cork and Wexford): variant of English Agar. Compare Eagar.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Eager in the United States?
According to data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Eager saw a slight decrease in popularity over a decade. In 2000, it was ranked as the 12,945th most common surname, but by 2010 it had fallen slightly to the 13,246th position. This reflects a change of -2.33%. However, despite its falling rank, the count of people with the surname Eager actually increased from 2,174 in 2000 to 2,305 in 2010, marking a 6.03% growth. The proportional representation of this surname also fell marginally from 0.81 per 100,000 people in 2000 to 0.78 in 2010, a decline of 3.7%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #12,945 | #13,246 | -2.33% |
| Count | 2,174 | 2,305 | 6.03% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.81 | 0.78 | -3.7% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Eager
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Eager also experienced shifts between 2000 and 2010, based on the Decennial U.S. Census. The percentage of individuals identifying as White decreased from 94.30% in 2000 to 88.29% in 2010, making it still the predominant ethnicity. However, all other reported ethnicities saw increases. The proportion of people identifying as Black increased notably from 2.12% to 6.42%, and those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander went up from 0.51% to 0.78%. Those identifying as Hispanic increased from 1.89% to 2.43%, and the proportion of individuals of two or more races also saw an increase from 0.97% to 1.48%. Furthermore, those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native rose from 0.23% to 0.61%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.3% | 88.29% | -6.37% |
| Black | 2.12% | 6.42% | 202.83% |
| Hispanic | 1.89% | 2.43% | 28.57% |
| Two or More Races | 0.97% | 1.48% | 52.58% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.51% | 0.78% | 52.94% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.23% | 0.61% | 165.22% |