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

Darko, 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 Darko surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Darko in America

Darko is the 27974th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Darko surname appeared 857 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 Darko.

We can also compare 2010 data for Darko 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 Darko

The surname Darko is believed to have originated in Croatia, with its earliest known references dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Croatian word "darak," meaning "gift" or "present," suggesting a connection to a person who may have been born around a significant holiday or received as a gift themselves.

The name's roots can be traced back to the coastal regions of Dalmatia and the Adriatic islands, where various forms of the name, such as Darcovich and Darković, were commonly found in historical records. One of the earliest mentions of the name was in a land registry document from the city of Split in 1276, referring to a landowner named Mihovil Darko.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the Darko surname appeared in several medieval manuscripts and records across the Dalmatian region, including a reference to a merchant named Jakov Darko in a trade agreement from the city of Dubrovnik in 1422.

In the 16th century, the name gained prominence with the rise of the Darko family from the island of Korčula. This family produced several notable figures, including the poet and playwright Ivan Darko (1520-1587), who is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of Croatian Renaissance literature.

Another notable bearer of the Darko surname was Nikola Darko (1680-1746), a renowned architect and sculptor from the city of Trogir. He was responsible for designing several churches and palaces throughout Dalmatia, including the Church of St. Michael in Trogir and the Baroque-style Garagnin-Fanfogna Palace in Split.

In the 19th century, the Darko surname spread to other parts of Europe as Croatian immigrants settled in various countries. One such individual was Petar Darko (1825-1892), a Croatian-born engineer who made significant contributions to the development of railroads in Austria and Hungary.

Other notable figures with the Darko surname include the Croatian painter Mirko Darko (1901-1987), known for his vibrant landscapes and seascapes, and the Serbian-American writer and filmmaker Steve Darko (1944-2012), whose works explored themes of identity and cultural displacement.

Throughout its history, the Darko surname has maintained a strong presence in Croatia and the surrounding regions, with various spelling variations and regional variations emerging over time. Its origins and meaning have remained deeply rooted in the cultural and linguistic traditions of the Dalmatian coast.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Darko

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

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

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

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