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

Erving, 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 Erving surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Erving in America

Erving is the 18166th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Erving surname appeared 1,532 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 Erving.

We can also compare 2010 data for Erving 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 Erving

The surname Erving is of English origin, first appearing in historical records during the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "eofor" meaning "boar" and "inga" meaning "people or descendants of," suggesting that the name may have originally referred to a group or clan associated with the boar, a significant symbol in Anglo-Saxon culture.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Erving can be found in the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, which documented land ownership and taxation records in England after the Norman Conquest. The entry mentions a landowner named "Eruingus" holding property in the county of Hertfordshire.

By the 13th century, the name had evolved into various spellings such as "Erving," "Ervinge," and "Erwyng." These variations likely reflected regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time. During this period, the surname was predominantly concentrated in the eastern counties of England, particularly in Essex and Suffolk.

Notable individuals bearing the Erving surname include Sir William Erving (c. 1380-1452), a prominent member of the gentry in Lincolnshire, who served as a knight of the shire and held several manorial estates. Another early figure was John Erving (c. 1500-1568), a successful merchant and alderman in the city of London.

In the 17th century, the Erving family established themselves as influential landowners in Gloucestershire. One of their descendants, Walter Erving (1681-1736), emigrated to the British colonies in North America and became a prominent figure in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, serving as a member of the governor's council and holding various military and civic positions.

During the 18th century, the Ervings continued to play a significant role in colonial America. James Erving (1720-1786), a wealthy merchant and politician, was a member of the Massachusetts General Court and a staunch supporter of the American Revolution. His son, George Erving (1755-1836), followed in his footsteps, becoming a respected diplomat and serving as the United States' first consul to London.

In the 19th century, another notable figure was John Erving (1815-1889), a successful businessman and philanthropist who founded the Erving Manufacturing Company in Massachusetts, which produced textile machinery and played a crucial role in the industrial development of the region.

While the Erving surname has retained its English roots, it has also been carried to various parts of the world through migration and diaspora, contributing to its diverse distribution and historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Erving

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

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

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

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