Explore the Family Name Erasmus
The meaning of Erasmus
North German, Dutch, and West Indian (Dutch Caribbean): from the personal name Erasmus, Latin form of Greek Erasmos, a derivative of erān ‘to love’. Saint Erasmus (died 303) was a bishop of Formiae (modern Formia) in Campania, who was martyred under Diocletian; he is numbered among the Fourteen Holy Helpers and is a patron of sailors. However, in Northern Europe from the 16th century onward, the name was more often selected in honor of the great Renaissance Dutch humanist scholar and teacher Erasmus Roterodamus (1469–1536). This surname is also established in South Africa.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Erasmus in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Erasmus has increased in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 91,404th most popular surname, but by 2010, it had climbed to the 69,793rd spot—an increase of approximately 23.64%. The count of individuals holding this surname also rose by 50.27% from 187 in 2000 to 281 in 2010. The proportion of people named Erasmus per 100,000 of the population also experienced an increase of 42.86%, moving from 0.07 to 0.1.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #91,404 | #69,793 | 23.64% |
| Count | 187 | 281 | 50.27% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.07 | 0.1 | 42.86% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Erasmus
Discussing the ethnic identity associated with the surname Erasmus, again according to the Decennial U.S. Census data, there's a diverse array of ethnicities linked with this surname. While it is predominantly associated with those of White ethnicity, which observed a slight drop of 0.18% from 88.77% in 2000 to 88.61% in 2010, other ethnic identities are represented as well. From 2000 to 2010, the percentage of Asian/Pacific Islanders with this surname fell by 19.85%, and those identifying with two or more races decreased by 48.23%. However, Black individuals with the surname Erasmus saw a significant increase of 113.11% during the same period. For Hispanic and American Indian and Alaskan Native populations, the data was either suppressed for privacy or remained at zero.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 88.77% | 88.61% | -0.18% |
| Black | 2.67% | 5.69% | 113.11% |
| Two or More Races | 4.81% | 2.49% | -48.23% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 2.67% | 2.14% | -19.85% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |