Explore the Family Name Merck
The meaning of Merck
German and French (mainly Alsace and Lorraine): from a short form of an ancient Germanic compound personal name with initial element mark ‘boundary, border area’, for example, Markwardt.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Merck in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Merck has seen minor fluctuations. In 2000, Merck was ranked 16,373rd in popularity with a count of 1,619 individuals bearing the name. A decade later, in 2010, the ranking slipped slightly to 17,216th, even though the actual count of people with the surname increased by 1.61% to 1,645. The proportion per 100,000 people also dropped by about 6.67%, indicating that while the absolute count of people named Merck increased, there were more overall names in the pool.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #16,373 | #17,216 | -5.15% |
| Count | 1,619 | 1,645 | 1.61% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.6 | 0.56 | -6.67% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Merck
The census data further reveals some shifts in the ethnic identity associated with the surname Merck. As of 2000, an overwhelming 94.07% of those carrying the Merck surname identified as White, followed by Black (2.16%), two or more races (1.42%), Hispanic (1.05%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.86%), and American Indian and Alaskan Native (0.43%). Fast forward to 2010, there is a slight decrease in those who identify as White, down to 91.98%. Notably, there was a significant increase among those identifying as two or more races, up by 88.03%, and those identifying as Hispanic, which grew by 85.71%. However, the percentage of people identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native dropped to zero, indicating that they may have been suppressed for privacy concerns.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.07% | 91.98% | -2.22% |
| Two or More Races | 1.42% | 2.67% | 88.03% |
| Hispanic | 1.05% | 1.95% | 85.71% |
| Black | 2.16% | 1.82% | -15.74% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.86% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.43% | 0% | 0% |