Explore the Family Name Jeremiah
The meaning of Jeremiah
Welsh, African (mainly Nigeria and Tanzania), and West Indian: from the English form of the Hebrew name Yirmeyahu (meaning ‘appointed by God’), borne by a Biblical prophet of the 7th–6th centuries bc, whose story, prophecies of judgement, and lamentations are recorded in the book of the Bible that bears his name. The name was later adopted especially by Welsh Nonconformists. Compare Jeremias.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Jeremiah in the United States?
The surname Jeremiah has seen an uptick in popularity according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, Jeremiah was ranked 19,968th most common surname, but by 2010 it rose to 17,745th place, marking an increase of 11.13%. The number of individuals bearing this surname also increased from 1244 in 2000 to 1579 in 2010, a change of 26.93%. The proportion of people named Jeremiah per 100,000 people saw a rise of 17.39%, moving from 0.46 to 0.54.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #19,968 | #17,745 | 11.13% |
| Count | 1,244 | 1,579 | 26.93% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.46 | 0.54 | 17.39% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Jeremiah
Regarding ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals shifts among individuals with the Jeremiah surname. The percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and White dropped by 18.20% and 16.65% respectively from 2000 to 2010. Conversely, all other ethnic identities saw an increase during the same period. Those identifying as two or more races had an increase of 18.59%, while Hispanic and Black ethnic identities increased by 48.75% and 30.21% respectively. The percentage of American Indian and Alaskan Native identifiers marginally increased by 6.05%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 55.55% | 46.3% | -16.65% |
| Black | 24.76% | 32.24% | 30.21% |
| Two or More Races | 7.64% | 9.06% | 18.59% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 6.43% | 5.26% | -18.2% |
| Hispanic | 2.81% | 4.18% | 48.75% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 2.81% | 2.98% | 6.05% |