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

Kercher, 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 Kercher surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kercher in America

Kercher is the 22216th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kercher surname appeared 1,161 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 Kercher.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kercher 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 Kercher

The surname Kercher originates from England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "cyrce" and "hyrde," meaning "church" and "herd" respectively, possibly referring to someone who tended livestock near a church or worked as a church official.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Robert le Churcher, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1199. The name appeared in various spellings, such as Kercher, Kerchar, Kerchour, and Kerchever, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling during that era.

The Kercher name has been linked to several locations across England, including villages and parishes in counties like Dorset, Somerset, and Wiltshire. For instance, the village of Kerchersgate in Dorset is thought to have taken its name from a Kercher family who resided there in the 13th century.

In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the Kercher surname was John Kercher, a monk and chronicler who lived in the Abbey of St. Albans. He is known for his writings on the life of St. Alban and the history of the abbey, providing valuable insights into the religious and historical events of that time.

During the 16th century, the Kercher name appeared in various records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1523, where a Thomas Kercher was listed as a taxpayer. Around the same period, a William Kercher was mentioned in the Parish Registers of St. Mary's Church in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, in 1538.

Another prominent individual with the Kercher surname was Sir John Kercher, a wealthy merchant and landowner who lived in the 17th century. He served as the Sheriff of London in 1643 and played a significant role in the local governance of the city during the tumultuous times of the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, the Kercher family had established a presence in various parts of England, with records indicating members of the family living in counties like Dorset, Somerset, and Wiltshire. One notable figure from this period was Samuel Kercher, a prominent architect and surveyor who was involved in the construction of several notable buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

As the centuries progressed, the Kercher surname continued to be found across England, with individuals from different walks of life bearing the name, including farmers, tradesmen, clergymen, and professionals.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kercher

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

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

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

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