2000
#6,570
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,755
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.76
Rare Last name
Ecker
Derived from a German occupational name for a plowman or field worker, from the Middle High German "acker" meaning "field."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,150 Americans carry the last name Ecker. That puts it at #7,176 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.50 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 66,554 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ecker surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
5.2K
1 in 66,554
Census rank
#7,176
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,491 bearers of the surname Ecker in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.50 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7176th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ecker, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ecker
The surname Ecker has its origins in Germany, with the earliest records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Middle High German word "ecker," which referred to a plowman or farmer. This suggests that the name was initially associated with agricultural occupations.
During the Middle Ages, the Ecker name was particularly prevalent in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony. In those times, surnames were often derived from occupations, physical characteristics, or places of origin. The Ecker name likely emerged as a way to identify individuals with a specific occupation or those residing in areas associated with farming.
One of the earliest documented references to the Ecker name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony, dating back to the year 1283. This record mentions an individual named "Henricus Ecker," suggesting the name's existence during that period.
In the 14th century, the Ecker name appeared in various municipal records across German towns and villages. For instance, in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a certain "Hans Ecker" is mentioned in a document from 1387. This provides evidence of the name's spread and established presence in different regions.
Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the Ecker surname. One such figure was Johann Ecker (1557-1624), a German theologian and philosopher who served as a professor at the University of Heidelberg. Another prominent individual was Johann Heinrich Ecker (1732-1808), a German architect known for his work on various churches and public buildings in the region of Baden-Württemberg.
In the 19th century, Carl Ecker (1813-1889) gained recognition as a German zoologist and anatomist. He made significant contributions to the study of comparative anatomy and embryology. Additionally, Johann Ecker (1835-1916), a German painter and illustrator, is remembered for his landscape paintings depicting scenes from the Black Forest region.
Furthermore, the Ecker name has also been associated with various place names throughout Germany. For instance, the town of Eckersmühlen in Bavaria likely derived its name from the Ecker surname, indicating a connection between the name and specific geographical locations.
While the Ecker surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, the historical records and notable figures mentioned above provide insights into the name's origins and its deep-rooted association with German heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ecker
Among Census respondents with the surname Ecker, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Ecker bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Ecker surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.8% · 4,123
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 155
- Two or more races3.0% · 136
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 35
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 32
- Black or African American0.2% · 10
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ecker
Ecker appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#7,018
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,772
+17 bearers (+0.4%)
Per 100,000 1.62
Rank movement Down 448 places
2020
#7,176
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,491
-281 bearers (-5.9%)
Per 100,000 1.50
Rank movement Down 158 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,570 | 4,755 | 1.76 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,018 | 4,772 | 1.62 | +17 bearers (+0.4%) | Down 448 places |
| 2020 | #7,176 | 4,491 | 1.50 | -281 bearers (-5.9%) | Down 158 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Ecker surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,018 | #7,176 | -2.3% |
| Count | 4,772 | 4,491 | -5.9% |
| Per 100K | 1.62 | 1.50 | -7.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ecker bearers went from 4,772 to 4,491 (-5.9% change). The surname moved down 158 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,018 to #7,176.
FAQ
Ecker surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ecker?
Name Census estimates that about 5,150 living Americans carry the surname Ecker. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 66,554 residents.
How common is Ecker?
Ecker ranks #7,176 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.50 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,491 people with the surname Ecker. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,150), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.5 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.50 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Ecker.
Has Ecker become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ecker went from 4,772 recorded bearers to 4,491. That is a decrease of 281 (-5.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,018 to #7,176.
What does the Census say about the background of Ecker?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ecker, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (3.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Ecker in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.8% (4,123 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ecker appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.8%), Hispanic (3.5%), Two or More Races (3.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Ecker (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Ecker mean?
Derived from a German occupational name for a plowman or field worker, from the Middle High German "acker" meaning "field." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Ecker (1.50 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Ecker?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.