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

Ankeny, 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 Ankeny surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ankeny in America

Ankeny is the 28293rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ankeny surname appeared 845 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 Ankeny.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ankeny 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 Ankeny

The surname Ankeny has its origins in the Low German dialect spoken in the northern parts of Germany and the Netherlands. It is believed to have derived from the Old Saxon word "anga," meaning "narrow" or "confined," and the Dutch word "enk," referring to a meadow or pasture. This suggests that the name may have been originally descriptive, potentially referring to someone who lived near a narrow meadow or pasture.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ankeny can be found in the archives of the city of Ankum, located in Lower Saxony, Germany. In a document dated 1387, a landowner named Johannes Ankeny is mentioned as a resident of the town. This provides evidence that the name was already in use as a surname in the late 14th century.

During the Middle Ages, the Ankeny family seems to have been prominent landowners in the region around Ankum. Their name appears in various records and chronicles from that time, indicating their influential status in the local community.

In the 16th century, the name Ankeny is found in the church records of the town of Westerkappeln, also in Lower Saxony. Here, the name is spelled as "Ankeney," suggesting that variations in spelling were common during that period.

One notable individual bearing the surname Ankeny was Johann Ankeny (1515-1582), a Lutheran theologian and reformer from Westerkappeln. He played a crucial role in the establishment of the Protestant church in the region and was known for his writings and sermons.

Another prominent figure was Bernhard Ankeny (1670-1743), a merchant and philanthropist from the city of Bremen. He made significant contributions to the local community and was recognized for his charitable efforts during his lifetime.

In the 19th century, the name Ankeny appeared in the United States, likely due to immigration from Germany and the Netherlands. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Henry Ankeny (1812-1890), a farmer and pioneer who settled in Polk County, Iowa. The city of Ankeny, Iowa, was named after him.

Another individual of note is John Ankeny (1835-1913), a Union soldier during the American Civil War. He served in the 9th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment and participated in several major battles, including the Battle of Pea Ridge and the Battle of Prairie Grove.

In the 20th century, the name Ankeny gained further recognition with individuals like Rolfe Ankeny (1908-1988), an American writer and journalist who worked for publications such as The New Yorker and The Saturday Evening Post.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ankeny

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

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

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

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