2000
#138,741
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Etcher
A surname derived from the occupation of etching or engraving on metal.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Etcher. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Etcher surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Etcher in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Etcher, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (7.3%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Etcher
The surname Etcher is of English origin, with roots dating back to the 15th century. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English word "etchen," meaning "to etch" or "to engrave." This suggests that the original bearers of this surname were skilled craftsmen who specialized in etching or engraving various materials, such as metal, glass, or wood.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Etcher can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1523, where a certain John Etcher is mentioned. Additionally, in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1534, a Thomas Etcher is listed, indicating the widespread use of this surname across different regions of England during that time period.
Interestingly, the surname Etcher shares similarities with the French surname "Graveur," which also derives from the occupation of engraving or etching. This suggests a possible connection or influence between the two surnames, perhaps through the exchange of craftsmen or techniques between England and France during the Middle Ages.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Etcher. One such person was James Etcher (1631-1692), an English engraver and publisher known for his significant contributions to the art of engraving and book illustration during the 17th century. Another was William Etcher (1766-1834), a renowned English artist and etcher who specialized in landscape paintings and etchings, capturing the beauty of the English countryside.
In the 18th century, the surname Etcher also appeared in connection with the town of Etcherhill, a small village in the county of Somerset, England. The name "Etcherhill" is believed to be derived from the Old English words "etcher" and "hyll," meaning "etcherhill" or "hill of the etchers," further reinforcing the occupational origins of the surname.
Other notable individuals with the surname Etcher include John Etcher (1787-1858), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London during the early 19th century, and Elizabeth Etcher (1812-1891), a pioneering English educator and advocate for women's education in the Victorian era.
While the surname Etcher may not be as common today as it once was, its rich history and occupational roots serve as a reminder of the skilled craftsmen and artists who contributed to the cultural and artistic legacy of England throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Etcher
Among Census respondents with the surname Etcher, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (7.3%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Etcher bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Etcher surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.2% · 94
- American Indian and Alaska Native7.3% · 8
- Two or more races4.6% · 5
- Black or African American1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Etcher
Etcher appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-5 bearers (-4.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,028 places
2020
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
+3 bearers (+2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,564 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #138,741 | 111 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-4.5%) | Down 15,028 places |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.8%) | Up 3,564 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Etcher surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #153,769 | #150,205 | 2.3% |
| Count | 106 | 109 | 2.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Etcher bearers went from 106 to 109 (+2.8% change). The surname moved up 3,564 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #150,205.
FAQ
Etcher surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Etcher?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Etcher. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Etcher?
Etcher ranks #150,205 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 109 people with the surname Etcher. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Etcher.
Has Etcher become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Etcher went from 106 recorded bearers to 109. That is an increase of 3 (+2.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #153,769 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Etcher?
Among Census respondents with the surname Etcher, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (7.3%) and Two or More Races (4.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Etcher in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.2% (94 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Etcher appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.2%), American Indian/Alaska Native (7.3%), Two or More Races (4.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Etcher (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Etcher mean?
A surname derived from the occupation of etching or engraving on metal. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Etcher (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Etcher?
If you just want to know how many Americans have the surname Etcher, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.