Balk
A topographic surname referring to someone who lived by a bank, ridge, or hillside.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,736 Americans carry the last name Balk. That puts it at #9,991 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.09 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 91,744 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Balk surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
3.7K
1 in 91,744
Census rank
#9,991
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,228 bearers of the surname Balk in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.09 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9991st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Balk, the largest self-reported group is White at 66.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (28.8%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Balk
The surname BALK is of Dutch and German origin, originating in the Middle Ages. The name is derived from the Old Dutch and Old German words "balk" or "balke," meaning a beam, log, or rafter. It is believed that the name was initially given as a descriptive surname to someone who lived near a prominent wooden beam or to a carpenter or builder who worked with beams.
The earliest recorded instances of the BALK surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various areas of the Netherlands and Germany. In the Netherlands, the name appeared in records from the province of Friesland, where it was spelled as "Balck." In Germany, variations such as "Balke" and "Balken" were found in records from the regions of Lower Saxony and Westphalia.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the BALK surname was Gherardt Balck, a merchant from the city of Groningen in the Netherlands, who was mentioned in a trade document dated 1284. Another notable early bearer of the name was Johannes Balke, a German landowner and farmer from the village of Westerholz in Lower Saxony, whose name appears in a land registry from 1342.
In the 15th century, the name BALK was also associated with the town of Balk in the Dutch province of Friesland, suggesting that some individuals may have adopted the surname from the place name. This connection is evident in the case of Pieter van Balk, a notable merchant and ship owner from Balk, who was mentioned in maritime records from the late 1400s.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the BALK surname. One example is Theodorus Balk, a Dutch mathematician and astronomer born in 1668, who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics. Another is Eduard Balk, a German composer and pianist born in 1859, known for his works in the Romantic style.
In the literary world, the Dutch author and poet Jacobus Balk (1898-1960) gained recognition for his novels and poetry depicting life in the rural Netherlands. Additionally, the American baseball player Howard Balk (1918-1995) played for several Major League Baseball teams during his career in the 1940s and 1950s.
Overall, the surname BALK has a rich history spanning centuries, with its origins rooted in the medieval Netherlands and Germany, and a connection to the construction and carpentry trades. Its bearers have left their mark in various fields, from science and the arts to sports and commerce.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Balk
Among Census respondents with the surname Balk, the largest self-reported group is White at 66.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (28.8%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Balk bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Balk surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White66.6%
- Asian and Pacific Islander28.8%
- Hispanic or Latino2.4%
- Two or more races1.5%
- Unknown or suppressed0.7%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Balk surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #12,634 | #9,991 | 20.9% |
| Count | 2,248 | 3,228 | 43.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.83 | 1.09 | 31.3% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Balk bearers went from 2,248 to 3,228 (+43.6% change). The surname moved up 2,643 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,634 to #9,991.
FAQ
Balk surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Balk?
The surname Balk holds position #9,991 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 3,736 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 1.09 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Balk surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Balk, the largest self-reported group is White at 66.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (28.8%) and Hispanic (2.4%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.