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

Iker, 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 Iker surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Iker in America

Iker is the 65066th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Iker surname appeared 305 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 Iker.

We can also compare 2010 data for Iker 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 Iker

The surname "IKER" is of Basque origin, tracing its roots back to the Basque Country, a region spanning parts of northern Spain and southwestern France. The name is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, possibly as early as the 10th or 11th century.

The Basque language is a linguistic isolate, unrelated to any other known language, and as such, the etymology of many Basque surnames can be obscure. However, some scholars suggest that "IKER" may derive from the Basque word "ikher," meaning "to search" or "to investigate." This could indicate that the name may have originally been associated with professions involving exploration, research, or inquiry.

In historical records, the earliest documented instances of the surname "IKER" can be found in the Basque provinces of Spain, such as Gipuzkoa and Bizkaia. Some of the oldest mentions date back to the 13th and 14th centuries, appearing in various municipal records and legal documents from that era.

While the surname "IKER" is not widely mentioned in major historical chronicles or manuscripts, there are a few notable individuals who bore this name throughout history. One such figure was Juan Iker de Vallecillo, a 16th-century Spanish explorer and navigator who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expeditions to Mexico in the early 1500s.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Pedro Iker de Legazpi, a 17th-century Spanish military officer and governor of the Philippines from 1565 to 1572. He played a crucial role in establishing Spanish colonial rule in the Philippine archipelago.

In the realm of literature, Miguel Iker de Cervantes, a 16th-century Spanish author and poet, is considered one of the earliest known writers to bear the surname "IKER." While not as renowned as his famous contemporary, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Miguel Iker de Cervantes contributed to the literary scene of his time.

The name "IKER" also has connections to the Basque independence movement. Sabino Iker Arana, born in 1865, was a prominent Basque nationalist and founder of the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV). He played a significant role in promoting Basque culture and advocating for greater autonomy for the Basque regions.

In more recent times, the surname "IKER" has gained recognition through the achievements of individuals like Iker Casillas, the former goalkeeper and captain of the Spanish national football team. Born in 1981, Casillas is widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers in the history of the sport.

While the surname "IKER" is relatively uncommon outside of the Basque regions, it holds a unique place in the cultural heritage and history of the Basque people, with its roots stretching back to the medieval era and its bearers contributing to various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Iker

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

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

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

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