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

Erskine, 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 Erskine surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Erskine in America

Erskine is the 6458th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Erskine surname appeared 5,258 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Erskine.

We can also compare 2010 data for Erskine 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 Erskine

The surname Erskine is of Scottish origin, derived from the lands of the same name located in Renfrewshire, Scotland. The name is believed to have originated from the Gaelic words "iar" meaning "west" and "sgiath" meaning "wing," referring to the western part of the county.

The earliest recorded mention of the Erskine name dates back to the 12th century, with the first notable bearer being Henricus de Erskine, who witnessed a charter granted by King Malcolm IV of Scotland in 1162. The Erskine family held significant power and influence in Scotland, serving as hereditary lords of the barony of Erskine.

In the 13th century, Sir Robert de Erskine accompanied King Alexander II on his expedition to the Western Isles in 1249. His son, also named Robert, played a crucial role in the Wars of Scottish Independence, fighting alongside Sir William Wallace and Robert the Bruce.

The name Erskine appears in several historical records, including the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented the submission of Scottish nobles to Edward I of England. John de Erskine, the Earl of Mar, was one of the signatories of the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320, a letter asserting Scottish independence.

Notable individuals with the surname Erskine include:

1. John Erskine (1508-1591), a Scottish author and theologian, and one of the leading figures of the Scottish Reformation.
2. John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar (1675-1732), a Scottish soldier and Jacobite supporter who led the failed Jacobite Rising of 1715.
3. Thomas Erskine, 1st Baron Erskine (1750-1823), a British lawyer and politician, known for his advocacy of civil liberties and legal reform.
4. Ebenezer Erskine (1680-1754), a Scottish minister and one of the founders of the Secession Church in Scotland.
5. Ralph Erskine (1685-1752), a Scottish minister and poet, best known for his work "Gospel Sonnets."

The Erskine name has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Erskine Bridge, Erskine Ferry, and the town of Erskine, reflecting the family's historical ties to the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Erskine

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

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

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

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