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

Eager, 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 Eager surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Eager in America

Eager is the 13246th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Eager surname appeared 2,305 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 Eager.

We can also compare 2010 data for Eager 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 Eager

The surname Eager has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the 12th century. It derives from the Old English word "eger," meaning "keen" or "eager." This was likely an occupational name given to someone who displayed a particularly enthusiastic or zealous demeanor.

The earliest known record of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Eggarus" and "Egharus." These were early spelling variations that later evolved into the modern form of Eager. The name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Cheshire, Lancashire, and Yorkshire during the Middle Ages.

In the 13th century, records show an Eagar de Clivelay, who held lands in Clivelay, Lancashire. This indicates that some Eager families were landowners and had adopted the name as a surname. The Eagers of Sandbach, Cheshire, were another prominent family, with their ancestral seat located in the town of Sandbach.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Eager was John Eager (c.1470-1534), a English landowner and Member of Parliament for Wigan in 1529. Another notable bearer of the name was William Eager (1547-1618), a clergyman who served as the Bishop of Ardfert and Aghadoe in Ireland.

During the 17th century, the Eager family spread across various parts of England. Robert Eager (1605-1684) was a wealthy merchant and landowner in Middlesex, while Thomas Eager (1628-1692) was a prominent clothier and benefactor in the town of Kendal, Westmorland.

In the 18th century, the name gained further recognition with individuals like John Eager Howard (1752-1827), a Revolutionary War hero and the fifth Governor of Maryland. Another notable figure was Sir William Eager (1766-1839), a British naval officer and Vice-Admiral who served in the Napoleonic Wars.

As the centuries passed, the Eager surname continued to be carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, scholars, and professionals. Some examples include Samuel Eager (1813-1883), an English engraver and artist, and William Eager (1832-1912), a British Wesleyan minister and author.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Eager

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

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

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

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