Explore the Family Name Merced
The meaning of Merced
Spanish: from a short form of the Marian name María de la Merced or title Nuestra Señora de la Merced ‘Our Lady of Mercy’, from merced ‘mercy’. The surname may also be a reference to a local church dedicated to the Virgin Mary bearing this title. Compare De la Merced. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Jose, Jorge, Carlos, Angel, Alberto, Francisco, Aurelio, Juan, Julio, Luis, Margarita, Noemi.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Merced in the United States?
The surname Merced has seen an increase in popularity, as evidenced by data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, Merced was ranked 10,998th in terms of commonality among surnames, but it climbed to 9,978th position in 2010, marking a rise of 9.27%. The count of individuals bearing the Merced surname also rose from 2,653 to 3,233 between 2000 and 2010, which is a significant surge of 21.86%. Thus, for every 100,000 people in the U.S., approximately 1.1 had the surname Merced in 2010, compared to 0.98 in 2000, reflecting a growth rate of 12.24%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #10,998 | #9,978 | 9.27% |
| Count | 2,653 | 3,233 | 21.86% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.98 | 1.1 | 12.24% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Merced
Regarding the ethnic identity associated with the surname Merced, according to the Decennial U.S. Census, there has been some fluctuation over time. Although the majority of those with the surname identify as Hispanic (85.99% in 2010, up from 83.91% in 2000), there are also smaller proportions identifying as White (6.65%), Asian/Pacific Islander (4.67%), and Black (2.17%) as of 2010. However, it's worth noting that the percentages of those identifying as White and Black have decreased since 2000, with drops of 17.19% and 11.43%, respectively. The proportion of people identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander also slightly dipped, whereas the category of "Two or more races" and "American Indian and Alaskan Native" were not reported in the 2010 census.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 83.91% | 85.99% | 2.48% |
| White | 8.03% | 6.65% | -17.19% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 4.86% | 4.67% | -3.91% |
| Black | 2.45% | 2.17% | -11.43% |
| Two or More Races | 0.49% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.26% | 0% | 0% |