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

Eger, 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 Eger surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Eger in America

Eger is the 16100th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Eger surname appeared 1,798 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 Eger.

We can also compare 2010 data for Eger 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 Eger

The surname Eger finds its origins in Germany, where it emerged during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old German word "egir," meaning "sword" or "edge." This suggests that the name may have originally been an occupational surname given to a swordsmith or someone skilled in the art of sword-making.

In its earliest recorded forms, the name appeared as "Egger" or "Egir" in various historical documents from the 12th century onwards. It is possible that the name was also influenced by the German word "Ecker," meaning "corner" or "edge," further reinforcing its connection to sharpness and precision.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Dietrich Egger, a prominent merchant and landowner who lived in the town of Nuremberg in the late 13th century. Records from that time mention his involvement in trade and property transactions within the city.

The name Eger also has ties to various place names across Germany, such as Eger (now known as Cheb) in the modern-day Czech Republic, which was once part of the Holy Roman Empire. This connection suggests that the surname may have originated from individuals who hailed from these regions.

Notable individuals throughout history who bore the surname Eger include:

1. Johannes Eger (1484-1554), a German Protestant reformer and theologian who played a significant role in the Reformation movement.
2. Caspar Eger (1628-1712), a German Baroque painter known for his religious artworks and portraits.
3. Friedrich Eger (1819-1888), a German architect renowned for his contributions to the Neoclassical and Historicist architectural styles in Berlin.
4. Karl Eger (1876-1945), an Austrian politician and diplomat who served as the Foreign Minister of Austria in the early 20th century.
5. Franz Eger (1893-1967), a German Olympic athlete who competed in the long jump and triple jump events, winning a silver medal in the 1920 Antwerp Olympics.

While the surname Eger has evolved and spread to various parts of the world over time, its origins can be traced back to the rich historical tapestry of medieval Germany, where it was closely tied to the art of sword-making and the concept of sharpness and precision.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Eger

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

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

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

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