Marx
Usually a surname from the personal name Mark or Marcus, with the final -s showing “son of” in some English traditions.
The #3,062 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 26,352 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Marx is commonly explained as a surname built from the given name Mark, ultimately from Latin Marcus. In English and related traditions, the final -s can mark descent, so the name may mean “son of Mark.” Historical surname writers also note that Marx can be a spelling variant of Marks, and in some cases a related form of March.
History
The name appears across English, German, and other European surname traditions, which is why it can have more than one pathway into family history. In English sources, it is often treated as a variant of Marks or as a patronymic from Mark/Marcus. In German usage, Marx is also a familiar form connected with Marcus, which is why it is especially well known from figures such as Karl Marx.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
19th-century surname dictionaries often treated Marx and Marks together, showing how fluid spelling could be before modern standardization.
From the historical record
“MARKS \ I Mark's (Son) : v. Mark' MARX J 2 for Marcus, q.v. MARKSON, Mark's Son : v. Marki MARL 1 (Fr.-Lat.) the French Marie, Merle, MARLE J a nickname from the Blackbird [Fr. merle, Lat. merula] (A.-Fr.-Lat.-Celt.) Dweller at the Marl”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)