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

Brunk, 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 Brunk surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Brunk in America

Brunk is the 8359th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Brunk surname appeared 3,961 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 Brunk.

We can also compare 2010 data for Brunk 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 Brunk

The surname Brunk is believed to have originated in Germany, with records indicating its presence as early as the 16th century. The name is thought to be derived from the German word "brunne," which means "well" or "spring," suggesting a connection to a geographical feature or location near a water source.

One of the earliest known references to the surname Brunk can be found in the records of the village of Bornstedt, located in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. In 1537, a man named Hans Brunk was recorded as a resident of the village, indicating the name's presence in the region during that time period.

In the 17th century, the name Brunk appeared in various records across Germany, including church registers and municipal documents. One notable individual from this era was Johann Brunk, a Lutheran pastor born in 1625 in the town of Arnstadt, located in the modern-day state of Thuringia. Johann Brunk was known for his theological writings and served as a minister in several parishes throughout his life.

As the centuries progressed, the Brunk surname spread across various regions of Germany and beyond. In the 19th century, a man named Friedrich Brunk (1789-1857) gained recognition as a prominent businessman and landowner in the city of Darmstadt, located in the state of Hesse.

Another notable figure with the surname Brunk was Karl Brunk (1891-1962), a German-American artist and illustrator. Born in Berlin, Karl Brunk immigrated to the United States in the early 20th century and became known for his works depicting scenes of American life and culture.

In the field of literature, the name Brunk is associated with Wilhelm Brunk (1884-1955), a German writer and poet who was part of the literary movement known as "Neue Sachlichkeit" (New Objectivity). His works explored themes of modern urban life and social realism.

While the surname Brunk has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including North America and other regions, carried by individuals and families who emigrated from their homeland over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Brunk

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

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

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

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