Explore the Family Name Lerch
The meaning of Lerch
German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): from Middle High German lerche, German Lerche ‘lark’, probably a nickname for someone with a good singing voice, or a metonymic occupational name for a bird-catcher. As a Jewish surname, it is most probably artificial. Some characteristic forenames: German Franz, Hans, Horst, Arno, Egon, Erwin, Gerhard, Guenter, Gunter, Helmut, Ingeborg, Karl-Heinz.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Lerch in the United States?
The surname Lerch has seen a slight decrease in popularity between the years 2000 and 2010, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, Lerch was ranked as the 8270th most popular surname, but by 2010 it had dropped to the 8911th position - a change of approximately -7.75%. The count of individuals with the surname Lerch also saw a small drop from 3685 in 2000 to 3674 in 2010. This represents a -0.3% change, with the proportion per 100k people decreasing by -8.76%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8,270 | #8,911 | -7.75% |
| Count | 3,685 | 3,674 | -0.3% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.37 | 1.25 | -8.76% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Lerch
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the ethnic identity associated with the surname Lerch has shown some interesting shifts from 2000 to 2010. While the majority of individuals with this surname identify as White (95.21% in 2010, down slightly from 96.80% in 2000), there has been notable growth in other ethnic identities. For instance, those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander have nearly doubled, increasing from 0.43% to 0.84%, and those identifying as Hispanic have also substantially increased, from 0.90% to 1.71%. Meanwhile, those identifying with two or more races rose from 0.87% to 1.14%, and those identifying as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native saw small increases.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.8% | 95.21% | -1.64% |
| Hispanic | 0.9% | 1.71% | 90% |
| Two or More Races | 0.87% | 1.14% | 31.03% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.43% | 0.84% | 95.35% |
| Black | 0.79% | 0.82% | 3.8% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.22% | 0.27% | 22.73% |
Lerch ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Lerch is French & German, which comprises 39.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (34.1%) and Eastern European (7.9%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Greek & Balkan.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 39.4% |
| British & Irish | 34.1% |
| Eastern European | 7.9% |
| Other | 18.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Lerch
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Lerch have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 70.50% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 70.50% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 70.50% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 69.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 69.30% |
What Lerch haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Lerch is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-FGC15710 and G-Z30771, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Fredericks, Romero, Nichols, Kessler, Perry, Wade, Akers, Hagen, Lambert, Bourne.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Lerch surname are: H1, H, K1. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Lerch have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Lerch" Surname 55.2%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Lerch" Surname 32.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Lerch" Surname 14.0%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Lerch" Surname 17.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Lerch?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Lerch are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition