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

Escher, 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 Escher surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Escher in America

Escher is the 28176th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Escher surname appeared 849 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 Escher.

We can also compare 2010 data for Escher 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 Escher

The surname ESCHER is of German origin, deriving from the Middle High German word "escher" meaning "ash tree". It is believed to have first emerged in the 14th century as a surname for someone who lived near an ash tree or an area with many ash trees.

The name is thought to have originated in the southern regions of Germany, particularly in areas like Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, where ash trees were abundant. Some early spellings of the name included Escher, Ascher, and Aescher.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the ESCHER name can be found in the 1438 Nuremberg Chronicle, which mentions a Johannes Escher from the city of Nuremberg. Another early reference is in the 1494 Heidelberg tax records, which list a family named Escher residing in the city.

In the 16th century, the ESCHER name began to spread throughout other parts of Europe, including Switzerland and the Netherlands. One notable figure was Hans Escher (1492-1572), a Swiss politician and mayor of Zürich.

The Dutch artist Maurits Cornelis Escher (1898-1972) is perhaps the most famous bearer of the ESCHER name. He is renowned for his mathematically-inspired woodcuts, lithographs, and other works of graphic art featuring intricate patterns and explorations of infinity.

Other notable individuals with the ESCHER surname include:

• Alfred Escher (1819-1882), a Swiss entrepreneur and politician who played a key role in the development of Swiss railways and industries.
• Hermann Escher (1857-1938), a Swiss zoologist and entomologist known for his work on butterflies.
• Rudolf Escher (1912-1980), a Swiss architect and urban planner who designed several buildings in Zürich and Basel.
• Joost Escher (1948-2015), a Dutch actor and comedian known for his television and film roles.

While the ESCHER name has its roots in Germany, it has since become widespread across Europe and beyond, with bearers of the name making significant contributions in various fields throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Escher

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

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

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

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