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

Birk, 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 Birk surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Birk in America

Birk is the 10092nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Birk surname appeared 3,193 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Birk.

We can also compare 2010 data for Birk 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 Birk

The surname BIRK is believed to have originated from the Old English word "byr" or "byrki," meaning a meadow, pasture, or enclosed land. This surname first emerged in England, particularly in the northern counties, during the Anglo-Saxon period, which lasted from the 5th to the 11th centuries.

The name BIRK was commonly found in areas with a strong Anglo-Saxon influence, such as Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Northumberland. It was likely derived from place names that incorporated the word "byr" or "byrki," indicating that the original bearers of this surname lived near or owned a meadow or pasture.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname BIRK can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Bircke" and "Byrcke" in various entries throughout the document.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named John de Byrk was recorded in the Curia Regis Rolls of Yorkshire in 1225. This early reference to the surname suggests its continued use and prevalence in the region.

Another significant individual bearing the surname BIRK was Sir Ralph Birk, a prominent nobleman and landowner from Northumberland who lived during the 14th century. He was knighted for his services to King Edward III and was involved in several military campaigns against Scotland.

During the 16th century, the BIRK surname gained prominence with the birth of Henry Birk (1525-1592), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Bishop of Worcester. He was known for his contributions to the translation of the Geneva Bible.

In the 17th century, Thomas Birk (1635-1701) was a notable English musician and composer who served as the organist at the Church of St. Mary-le-Bow in London. He composed several anthems and instrumental pieces that were widely performed during his time.

Another individual of note was Sir John Birk (1714-1787), a British politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for the constituency of Yorkshire from 1754 to 1768. He was an influential figure in local politics and was known for his advocacy of agricultural reforms.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Birk

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

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

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

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