2000
#9,422
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,165
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.17
Rare Last name
Berkey
An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "birch-covered island."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,454 Americans carry the last name Berkey. That puts it at #10,186 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.01 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 99,234 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Berkey 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
3.5K
1 in 99,234
Census rank
#10,186
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,012 bearers of the surname Berkey in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.01 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10186th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Berkey, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Berkey
The surname "BERKEY" is of English origin, and it is believed to have emerged during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "bere," which means "barley," and the suffix "-ey," which indicates a location or place name.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled as "Berchei." This reference suggests that the name may have originated from a place name, potentially a small village or hamlet where barley was cultivated.
The surname "BERKEY" is primarily associated with the counties of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire in England. It is believed that the name may have originated from a place called "Barley" or a similar variation, such as "Barley-by-the-Water" or "Barley Green."
In the 14th century, a notable figure named John Berkey (c. 1320-1390) was recorded in the rolls of the Exchequer for his involvement in a legal dispute over land ownership in the village of Barley, Hertfordshire.
During the 16th century, the name "BERKEY" appeared in various parish records across England. One notable example is William Berkey (c. 1530-1605), a landowner and farmer from the village of Barley, Lincolnshire.
In the 17th century, the name gained prominence with the birth of Richard Berkey (1635-1712), a renowned clockmaker and watchmaker from London. His intricate timepieces were highly sought after by the aristocracy and wealthy merchants of the time.
Another notable figure was Elizabeth Berkey (1670-1745), a philanthropist and benefactor who donated a significant portion of her fortune to establish a school for underprivileged children in the town of Barley, Yorkshire.
During the 18th century, the surname "BERKEY" spread to other parts of the British Isles, including Scotland and Ireland, as families migrated in search of new opportunities.
One of the most prominent individuals with this surname was Sir Robert Berkey (1765-1842), a British naval officer who distinguished himself during the Napoleonic Wars. He was awarded the prestigious Order of the Bath for his bravery and leadership in several naval engagements.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Berkey
Among Census respondents with the surname Berkey, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Berkey 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 Berkey surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.5% · 2,817
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 79
- Two or more races2.6% · 78
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 16
- Black or African American0.4% · 13
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Berkey
Berkey 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
#9,262
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,515
+350 bearers (+11.1%)
Per 100,000 1.19
Rank movement Up 160 places
2020
#10,186
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,012
-503 bearers (-14.3%)
Per 100,000 1.01
Rank movement Down 924 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,422 | 3,165 | 1.17 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,262 | 3,515 | 1.19 | +350 bearers (+11.1%) | Up 160 places |
| 2020 | #10,186 | 3,012 | 1.01 | -503 bearers (-14.3%) | Down 924 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 Berkey 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 | #9,262 | #10,186 | -10.0% |
| Count | 3,515 | 3,012 | -14.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.19 | 1.01 | -15.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Berkey bearers went from 3,515 to 3,012 (-14.3% change). The surname moved down 924 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,262 to #10,186.
FAQ
Berkey surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Berkey?
Name Census estimates that about 3,454 living Americans carry the surname Berkey. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 99,234 residents.
How common is Berkey?
Berkey ranks #10,186 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.01 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,012 people with the surname Berkey. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,454), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.01 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.01 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Berkey.
Has Berkey become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Berkey went from 3,515 recorded bearers to 3,012. That is a decrease of 503 (-14.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,262 to #10,186.
What does the Census say about the background of Berkey?
Among Census respondents with the surname Berkey, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Berkey in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.5% (2,817 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Berkey appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.5%), Hispanic (2.6%), Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Berkey (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 Berkey mean?
An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "birch-covered island." 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 Berkey (1.01 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 have the surname Berkey?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.