Explore the Family Name Merman
The meaning of Merman
1. Americanized form of North German Meermann, a topographic name for someone living by a large lake. 2. English: variant of Mearman, either a nickname from Middle English mer(e)-min, mereman ‘merman, one who misleads or deceives’ or a habitational name for someone who lived by a pool or boundary, from Middle English mere ‘pond, pool’ (Old English mere) or mere ‘boundary’ (Old English (ge)mǣre) + man ‘man’. Some characteristic forenames: German Elfriede.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Merman in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Merman has experienced a slight decrease between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Merman was ranked 76,946 in popularity, with a count of 232 individuals bearing this name. This translates to a proportion of 0.09 per 100,000 people. However, by 2010, the rank had slipped to 85,659 with a count of 218 individuals, representing a proportion of 0.07 per 100,000 people. This indicates a change of -11.32 in rank and a -6.03 decrease in count.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #76,946 | #85,659 | -11.32% |
| Count | 232 | 218 | -6.03% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.09 | 0.07 | -22.22% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Merman
Regarding ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the majority of individuals with the surname Merman identify as White. In 2000, 95.69% of individuals with the surname identified as White, which increased slightly to 97.25% in 2010. The data also showed a small emergence of Hispanic identity within this surname group, rising from 0% in 2000 to 2.29% in 2010. No changes were recorded for those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native, with these ethnic identities remaining at 0% for both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.69% | 97.25% | 1.63% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 2.29% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |