Explore the Family Name Mercedes
The meaning of Mercedes
Spanish: from a short form of the Marian name María de las Mercedes or title Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes ‘Our Lady of Mercy’, from the plural of merced ‘mercy’. The surname may also be a reference to a local church dedicated to the Virgin Mary bearing this title. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Jose, Manuel, Ramon, Rafael, Francisca, Juan, Luis, Miguel, Ana, Angel, Beatriz, Carolina. Portuguese Duarte.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Mercedes in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Mercedes has seen a noticeable increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Mercedes ranked 10,570th in terms of common surnames, but by 2010, it had risen to the 7,767th spot, marking a significant change of 26.52%. The count of people with the surname also saw an impressive boost from 2,786 to 4,272, which represents a 53.34% growth. Consequently, the proportion of this surname per 100,000 people increased by 40.78%, moving from 1.03 to 1.45.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #10,570 | #7,767 | 26.52% |
| Count | 2,786 | 4,272 | 53.34% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.03 | 1.45 | 40.78% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Mercedes
The Decennial U.S. Census also provides insights into the ethnic identity associated with the surname Mercedes. It's notable that the majority of individuals with this surname, about 94.22% in 2010, identify as Hispanic—an increase from 92.50% in 2000. There was also a slight increase in those identifying as Black, going up from 2.08% to 2.25%. Interestingly, there was a decrease in the percentage of individuals who identify as White, dropping from 4.24% to 2.97%. The data shows that those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander or those belonging to two or more ethnicities were either very few or omitted for privacy reasons (marked as "(S)").
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 92.5% | 94.22% | 1.86% |
| White | 4.24% | 2.97% | -29.95% |
| Black | 2.08% | 2.25% | 8.17% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.35% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0.75% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |