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

Hercules, 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 Hercules surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hercules in America

Hercules is the 12637th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hercules surname appeared 2,449 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 Hercules.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hercules 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 Hercules

The surname Hercules is of Greek origin, derived from the name of the legendary Greek hero and demigod, Heracles. The name Heracles itself is believed to have its roots in the ancient Greek word 'Hera', which means 'glory of Hera', referring to the goddess Hera.

The surname Hercules first appeared in written records during the Middle Ages, particularly in regions with strong Greek influence, such as parts of Italy and Southern Europe. It is likely that the name was adopted by individuals or families who claimed descent from or admired the mythological figure of Heracles, also known as Hercules in Roman mythology.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Hercules can be found in the chronicles of the city of Naples, Italy, dating back to the 13th century. In these records, a nobleman named Goffredo Hercules is mentioned as a prominent figure in the city's political affairs.

Another notable bearer of the surname was Hercules Grimaldi, born in 1522 in Genoa, Italy. He was a renowned diplomat and military commander who served under the King of Spain during the 16th century.

In England, the surname Hercules can be traced back to the 17th century, with records showing a family of that name residing in the county of Kent. One of the earliest documented individuals was Sir Thomas Hercules (1625-1693), a prominent landowner and member of the English gentry.

During the Renaissance period, the name Hercules gained popularity across Europe, particularly among intellectuals and artists who drew inspiration from classical Greek and Roman mythology. This may have contributed to the spread and adoption of the surname in various regions.

Other notable individuals bearing the surname Hercules include the 18th-century Italian painter Hercules Bianchi (1724-1806), known for his religious artworks, and the French mathematician and astronomer Hercules Joseph Gallet (1790-1853), who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hercules

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

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

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

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