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

Belger, 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 Belger surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Belger in America

Belger is the 36736th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Belger surname appeared 608 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Belger.

We can also compare 2010 data for Belger 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 Belger

The surname Belger originates from England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "belg" meaning a leather bag or pouch, and "er" referring to an occupation. The name likely referred to someone who made or sold leather pouches, belts, or other leather goods.

Early references to the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, which mention a William Belger. The Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279 also record a Robert Le Belgere. These early spellings, such as "Le Belgere" and "Belger," reflect the name's origins.

The Belger surname is closely tied to the village of Belgrave in Leicestershire, which was formerly known as "Belegrave" or "Belegravia" in the 13th century. It is likely that some Belgers hailed from this area, contributing to the spread of the name.

Notable individuals with the surname Belger include John Belger (c. 1530-1598), an English landowner and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent figure was Thomas Belger (1691-1753), a wealthy merchant and benefactor from Somerset.

In the 18th century, Samuel Belger (1720-1789) was a successful banker and businessman in London. His son, John Belger (1760-1841), followed in his footsteps and became a prominent financier.

During the Victorian era, Emily Belger (1837-1919) was a renowned author and poet, known for her romantic novels and vivid descriptions of English countryside life.

These are just a few examples of the many individuals who have carried the Belger surname throughout history, reflecting its roots in the English leather trade and its widespread presence across various regions of the country.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Belger

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

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 Belger 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 Belger 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 Belger was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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