Explore the Family Name Hercules
The meaning of Hercules
1. Hispanic, West Indian, Guyanese, and South African: from the personal name Hercules, which is the Latin form of classical Greek Hēraklēs, meaning ‘glory of Hera’ (Hera was the queen of the gods). It was the name of a demigod in classical mythology, who was the son of Zeus, king of the gods, by a human woman; his outstanding quality was his superhuman strength. 2. English (Lancashire): variant, by folk etymology, of Argles, a nickname from Middle English (originally Norman) orguillous, erguleis, Old French orgoillos, orguilleus, ergoillose ‘proud, arrogant, showy’ (in manner or dress). Compare Orgill and Argyle. A derivation from the personal name Hercules (see 1 above) is implausible, as this was not used as an English personal name until the 16th century, and then only among families with an education in Classics, who would already possess hereditary surnames. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Juan, Carlota, Deysi, Genoveva, Gerardo, Jose, Jose Alfonso, Jose Antonio, Jose Roberto, Juan Pablo, Juanita, Marcial.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Hercules in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Hercules has significantly increased from the year 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it ranked 16,525 out of all surnames in the United States but jumped to a rank of 12,637 by 2010, marking an increase of 23.53%. The count of individuals carrying the Hercules surname also grew from 1,601 in 2000 to 2,449 in 2010, showing a noteworthy growth of nearly 53%. Moreover, the proportion of people with this surname per 100,000 residents escalated from 0.59 in 2000 to 0.83 in 2010, reflecting a rise of 40.68%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #16,525 | #12,637 | 23.53% |
| Count | 1,601 | 2,449 | 52.97% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.59 | 0.83 | 40.68% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Hercules
Turning to ethnicity based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the Hercules surname saw significant shifts between 2000 and 2010. The Hispanic ethnic identity associated with this surname experienced the most substantial growth, increasing from 38.91% in 2000 to 52.18% in 2010. This represents an impressive 34.10% change. However, the percentage of individuals identifying as White with the Hercules surname decreased drastically from 31.73% in 2000 to 21.85% in 2010, signifying a decline of 31.14%. Similarly, the Black community saw a decrease from 26.73% to 23.52%, a drop of 12.01%. During both years, there were no recorded instances of individuals with the Hercules surname identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native. Lastly, those identifying as two or more races dropped slightly from 1.94% in 2000 to 1.63% in 2010, marking a decrease of 15.98%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 38.91% | 52.18% | 34.1% |
| Black | 26.73% | 23.52% | -12.01% |
| White | 31.73% | 21.85% | -31.14% |
| Two or More Races | 1.94% | 1.63% | -15.98% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |