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

Berks, 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 Berks surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Berks in America

Berks is the 73215th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Berks surname appeared 265 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 Berks.

We can also compare 2010 data for Berks 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 Berks

The surname "BERKS" originated in England, with its earliest records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "beorc," meaning "birch tree," suggesting that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a birch grove or worked with birch wood.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Berkshire from 1190, where a person named Robert de Berks is mentioned. This suggests that the name may have originated in the county of Berkshire, which itself derives from the same Old English root.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as "de Berkes" and "atte Berkes," indicating its connection to a specific place. The use of the prefix "de" and "atte" was common during this time, denoting "of" or "at" a particular location.

The Hundred Rolls of 1273 contain references to individuals with the surname "Berks," including Walter de Berkes from Oxfordshire and William atte Berkes from Essex. These records provide insights into the geographical spread of the name during the medieval period.

One notable historical figure with the surname "BERKS" was Sir John Berks (c.1570-1638), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Warwickshire in the early 17th century. He played a role in the establishment of the Virginia Company and the colonization of North America.

Another individual worth mentioning is Richard Berks (c.1615-1670), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, including "A Treatise on the Soul of Man" and "A Discourse on the Nature of Grace."

In the 18th century, the surname "BERKS" appeared in various records, such as the marriage registers of St. George's Chapel in London, where a marriage between John Berks and Mary Smith was recorded in 1743.

The 19th century saw several notable individuals with the surname "BERKS," including William Berks (1801-1879), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, and James Berks (1845-1920), a renowned horticulturist and writer on gardening topics.

It is also worth mentioning that variations of the surname, such as "Berk" and "Berke," have been recorded throughout history, indicating the fluidity of spelling and pronunciation over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Berks

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

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

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

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