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

Kerber, 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 Kerber surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kerber in America

Kerber is the 9221st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kerber surname appeared 3,535 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 Kerber.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kerber 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 Kerber

The surname Kerber is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Middle High German word "kerber," which referred to a person who carved or crafted wooden buckets or tubs. This occupation-based surname reflects the medieval tradition of adopting surnames based on one's profession or trade.

The earliest known record of the Kerber surname dates back to the 13th century in the region of Bavaria, southern Germany. Historical records from this period mention individuals with the name Kerber residing in various towns and villages across the region.

One notable historical reference to the Kerber name can be found in the "Städtebuch" (City Book) of Nuremberg, a medieval manuscript that documented the city's inhabitants and their occupations. In this record, a certain Hans Kerber is listed as a "küffer," which translates to a cooper or barrel-maker, further reinforcing the occupational origin of the surname.

During the 16th century, the Kerber surname began to spread beyond Bavaria to other parts of Germany. In 1542, a record from the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber mentions a Johann Kerber, a artisan who specialized in woodworking and barrel-making.

Notable individuals with the Kerber surname throughout history include:

1. Matthias Kerber (1592-1669), a German composer and organist from Saxony.
2. Johann Kerber (1738-1810), a German writer and educator from Würzburg.
3. Wilhelm Kerber (1835-1902), a German politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Reichstag.
4. Hans Kerber (1887-1945), a German architect known for his work in Berlin during the early 20th century.
5. Angelique Kerber (born 1988), a professional tennis player from Germany who has won several Grand Slam titles.

While the Kerber surname has ancient roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and intermarriage. However, its origins can be traced back to the skilled craftsmen and artisans of medieval Bavaria who specialized in woodworking and barrel-making.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kerber

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

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

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

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