Find out how popular the last name Belcher is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Belcher.

Belcher, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Belcher surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Belcher in America

Belcher is the 1243rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Belcher surname appeared 28,321 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 10 people would have the surname Belcher.

We can also compare 2010 data for Belcher to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Belcher

The surname Belcher originated in England and can be traced back to the 12th century. The name is derived from the Old French word "belchier," which means "to bake." It is believed that the name was originally an occupational surname given to bakers or those who worked with ovens.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a record of landowners and their properties in England, there are several references to individuals with the name Belcher or variations such as Belchier and Belcher. These entries suggest that the name was already established in various parts of the country by the 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a person named Ricardus le Belchier is mentioned. This spelling variation highlights the transition from the French origin to its English form.

The name Belcher can also be linked to various place names in England, such as Belchers Lane in Hertfordshire and Belcher's Farm in Buckinghamshire. These locations may have been named after individuals bearing the Belcher surname or may have influenced the surname's development.

Notable individuals with the Belcher surname throughout history include:

1. John Belcher (c. 1633-1721), an English settler in Massachusetts Bay Colony who served as a member of the colonial militia.
2. Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953), a British writer and historian whose full name was Joseph Hilaire Pierre René Belloc.
3. Andrew Belcher (1763-1841), a British naval officer and explorer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars.
4. Diane Belcher (1938-2022), an American actress and voice artist known for her work in animation, including voicing characters in "The Simpsons" and "King of the Hill."
5. Edward Belcher (1799-1877), a British naval officer and explorer who led several expeditions to the Arctic regions in the mid-19th century.

The Belcher surname has a rich history rooted in England's medieval era, originating from an occupation and evolving over centuries to become a prominent surname with notable individuals across various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Belcher

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Belcher.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Belcher was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Belcher has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Belcher was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Belcher, please contact us.

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