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

Berkey, 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 Berkey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Berkey in America

Berkey is the 9262nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Berkey surname appeared 3,515 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Berkey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Berkey 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 Berkey

The surname "BERKEY" is of English origin, and it is believed to have emerged during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "bere," which means "barley," and the suffix "-ey," which indicates a location or place name.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled as "Berchei." This reference suggests that the name may have originated from a place name, potentially a small village or hamlet where barley was cultivated.

The surname "BERKEY" is primarily associated with the counties of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire in England. It is believed that the name may have originated from a place called "Barley" or a similar variation, such as "Barley-by-the-Water" or "Barley Green."

In the 14th century, a notable figure named John Berkey (c. 1320-1390) was recorded in the rolls of the Exchequer for his involvement in a legal dispute over land ownership in the village of Barley, Hertfordshire.

During the 16th century, the name "BERKEY" appeared in various parish records across England. One notable example is William Berkey (c. 1530-1605), a landowner and farmer from the village of Barley, Lincolnshire.

In the 17th century, the name gained prominence with the birth of Richard Berkey (1635-1712), a renowned clockmaker and watchmaker from London. His intricate timepieces were highly sought after by the aristocracy and wealthy merchants of the time.

Another notable figure was Elizabeth Berkey (1670-1745), a philanthropist and benefactor who donated a significant portion of her fortune to establish a school for underprivileged children in the town of Barley, Yorkshire.

During the 18th century, the surname "BERKEY" spread to other parts of the British Isles, including Scotland and Ireland, as families migrated in search of new opportunities.

One of the most prominent individuals with this surname was Sir Robert Berkey (1765-1842), a British naval officer who distinguished himself during the Napoleonic Wars. He was awarded the prestigious Order of the Bath for his bravery and leadership in several naval engagements.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Berkey

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

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

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

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