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

Markle, 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 Markle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Markle in America

Markle is the 5858th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Markle surname appeared 5,893 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Markle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Markle 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 Markle

The surname Markle is of English origin and dates back to the medieval era. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "merece," which means a boundary or border. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a boundary or border.

In its earliest forms, the name was often spelled as "Mercle" or "Merckle." These variations can be found in various historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries, such as the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire and the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1272, where a certain William Merckle is mentioned. Another early reference can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire from 1327, which lists a Roger Merkelle.

The name Markle may also have been influenced by various place names, particularly those that contain the element "mere," which means a boundary or edge. For instance, the village of Meerbrook in Staffordshire and the hamlet of Merebatch in Worcestershire could have contributed to the formation of the surname.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Markle. One of the earliest was John Markle (c. 1450-1520), who served as the Sheriff of Oxfordshire during the reign of Henry VII. Another prominent figure was William Markle (1542-1618), a successful merchant and alderman in the city of London during the Elizabethan era.

In the 18th century, Johann Markle (1721-1792) was a German-born farmer and landowner who settled in Pennsylvania, becoming one of the first bearers of the name in the American colonies. His descendants played a role in the American Revolutionary War.

During the 19th century, Isaac Markle (1812-1879) was a prominent businessman and industrialist in Pennsylvania, known for his involvement in the iron and steel industries. Another notable figure was Mary Markle (1856-1934), an American educator and advocate for women's rights.

In more recent times, one of the most well-known individuals with the surname Markle is Rachel Meghan Markle (born 1981), an American actress who became a member of the British royal family through her marriage to Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Markle

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

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

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

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