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

Erceg, 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 Erceg surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Erceg in America

Erceg is the 50771st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Erceg surname appeared 411 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 Erceg.

We can also compare 2010 data for Erceg 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 Erceg

The surname Erceg originates from Croatia, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Slavic word "erc," meaning "heir" or "descendant," suggesting that the name initially identified someone as the heir or descendant of a prominent individual or family.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Erceg can be found in the 15th-century Dubrovnik archives, where it appeared as "Ercegovich." This variation indicates the name's evolution and adaptation over time, with the addition of the patronymic suffix "-ovich" denoting "son of."

During the 16th century, the name Erceg gained prominence in the region around the city of Split, on the Dalmatian coast. Historical records from this period mention several notable individuals bearing this surname, including Petar Erceg, a respected merchant and landowner born in 1523.

As the name spread across Croatia and neighboring regions, variations in spelling emerged, such as "Ercegh" and "Ertzeg." These variations reflect the influence of regional dialects and scribal practices at the time.

One notable figure with the surname Erceg was Juraj Erceg, a prominent Croatian nobleman born in 1678. He played a significant role in the region's political affairs during the late 17th and early 18th centuries, leaving a lasting impact on the area's history.

Another individual of note was Marko Erceg, a celebrated poet and writer born in 1824 in Dubrovnik. His works contributed to the cultural renaissance of the region and helped preserve traditional Croatian literature and folklore.

In the late 19th century, the name Erceg appeared in historical records related to the Croatian War of Independence. Ivan Erceg, born in 1867, was a military leader and strategist who played a crucial role in the struggle for Croatian sovereignty.

Throughout its history, the surname Erceg has been associated with various professions, from merchants and landowners to poets and military leaders, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who bore this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Erceg

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

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

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

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