Masker last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Masker

An English surname derived from the Old French word "masque", referring to a mask-maker or performer.

Masker, 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 Masker surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Masker in America

Masker is the 33280th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Masker surname appeared 687 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 Masker.

We can also compare 2010 data for Masker 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.

20102000Change (%)
Rank332802787717.67%
Count687811-16.56%
Proportion per 100k0.230.30-26.42%

The history of the last name Masker

The surname Masker is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, derived from the Old English word "mascre," which referred to a person who made masks or disguises. This occupational surname was likely given to individuals who crafted masks for theatrical performances, masquerades, or other festive occasions.

Masker can be traced back to the 13th century, with early records showing variations in spelling, such as "Masker," "Mascare," and "Maschere." The name is found in various historical documents, including tax rolls and parish records, indicating its widespread use across different regions of England.

One of the earliest known references to the name Masker can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire in 1332, where a certain John Masker is mentioned. Another early record is from the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379, listing a Robert Masker as a taxpayer.

In the 15th century, the name Masker appeared in the Hearth Tax Rolls of Suffolk, where a Thomas Masker was recorded as a resident in 1674. This suggests that the family had established roots in the eastern part of England by that time.

Among notable individuals bearing the surname Masker throughout history, one can mention:

  1. William Masker (c. 1520-1587), an English playwright and actor known for his contributions to the early English Renaissance theater.
  2. Margaret Masker (1645-1721), a prominent landowner and philanthropist from Gloucestershire, who funded the construction of several schools and almshouses in her region.
  3. John Masker (1712-1789), a renowned clockmaker from London, whose intricate timepieces were highly sought after by the aristocracy of the time.
  4. Richard Masker (1785-1853), a British explorer and naturalist, famous for his expeditions to the Caribbean islands and his detailed accounts of the local flora and fauna.
  5. Elizabeth Masker (1820-1892), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights, who established one of the first schools for girls in Manchester.

While the surname Masker has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora, with families bearing this name found in various countries today.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Masker

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

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 Masker was:

Race/EthnicityPercentageTotal Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only94.03%646
Non-Hispanic Black Only(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races2.77%19
Hispanic Origin1.75%12

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 Masker has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

20102000Change (%)
White94.03%93.71%0.34%
Black(S)%(S)%(S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander(S)%(S)%(S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native(S)%1.60%(S)%
Two or More Races2.77%1.97%33.76%
Hispanic1.75%1.48%16.72%

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

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

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