2000
#56,979
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 335
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.12
Very Rare Last name
Merkl
A surname derived from a Middle High German word meaning "marker" or "surveyor."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 378 Americans carry the last name Merkl. That puts it at #65,003 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.11 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 906,758 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Merkl surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
378
1 in 906,758
Census rank
#65,003
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
330
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 330 bearers of the surname Merkl in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.11 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 65003rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Merkl, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Merkl
The surname Merkl is of German origin, with its roots dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have originated from the German word "merker," which means a maker or someone who marks or imprints. The name was likely first used as an occupational surname for a craftsman or artisan who specialized in marking or branding goods.
The earliest known record of the surname Merkl can be found in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, located in the Franconian region of Bavaria, Germany. In the year 1287, a document mentions a family by the name of "Merckeler," which is believed to be an older spelling variation of the modern Merkl surname.
Another notable reference to the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the Margraviate of Brandenburg, dating back to the 14th century. In this collection, there is a record of a man named "Merkil" who was a landowner in the village of Gollwitz.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Merkl was Johann Merkl, a merchant and trader who lived in the city of Nuremberg during the 15th century. He was known for his successful business dealings and his involvement in the local guild of merchants.
In the 16th century, there was a prominent family of Merkls living in the town of Eger, located in the modern-day Czech Republic. This family owned several mills and played an important role in the local economy. One member, Hans Merkl (1520-1588), was a respected miller and landowner.
Another notable individual with the surname Merkl was Friedrich Merkl (1706-1784), a German composer and organist who lived during the Baroque period. He was known for his contributions to the development of church music and is considered one of the most influential organists of his time.
In the 19th century, the Merkl surname gained recognition through the work of Benedikt Merkl (1821-1896), a German entomologist and naturalist. He made significant contributions to the study of insects and is credited with discovering and describing numerous new species.
Other notable individuals with the surname Merkl include Gottfried Merkl (1892-1964), an Austrian politician and member of the Christian Social Party, and Gerhard Merkl (born 1954), a German chess player and International Grandmaster.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Merkl
Among Census respondents with the surname Merkl, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Merkl bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Merkl surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.2% · 301
- Hispanic or Latino5.5% · 18
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.5% · 5
- Two or more races1.5% · 5
- Black or African American0.3% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Merkl
Merkl appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#64,200
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 310
-25 bearers (-7.5%)
Per 100,000 0.11
Rank movement Down 7,221 places
2020
#65,003
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 330
+20 bearers (+6.5%)
Per 100,000 0.11
Rank movement Down 803 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #56,979 | 335 | 0.12 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #64,200 | 310 | 0.11 | -25 bearers (-7.5%) | Down 7,221 places |
| 2020 | #65,003 | 330 | 0.11 | +20 bearers (+6.5%) | Down 803 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Merkl surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #64,200 | #65,003 | -1.3% |
| Count | 310 | 330 | 6.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.11 | 0.11 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Merkl bearers went from 310 to 330 (+6.5% change). The surname moved down 803 positions in the national ranking, going from #64,200 to #65,003.
FAQ
Merkl surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Merkl?
Name Census estimates that about 378 living Americans carry the surname Merkl. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 906,758 residents.
How common is Merkl?
Merkl ranks #65,003 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.11 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 330 people with the surname Merkl. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (378), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.11 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.11 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Merkl.
Has Merkl become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Merkl went from 310 recorded bearers to 330. That is an increase of 20 (+6.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #64,200 to #65,003.
What does the Census say about the background of Merkl?
Among Census respondents with the surname Merkl, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Merkl in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.2% (301 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Merkl appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.2%), Hispanic (5.5%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Merkl (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Merkl mean?
A surname derived from a Middle High German word meaning "marker" or "surveyor." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Merkl (0.11 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Merkl?
You can see how many people have the surname Merkl on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.