2000
#118,236
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 136
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Derke
A surname potentially derived from a place name of Germanic origin.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Derke. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Derke surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Derke in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Derke, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.4%) and Black (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Derke
The surname Derke originated in Germany, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the German word "derke," which referred to a type of coarse woolen cloth or blanket. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals involved in the textile industry or trade.
During the Middle Ages, the Derke surname was primarily concentrated in the regions of Saxony and Thuringia, where many early records of the name can be found. One of the earliest documented instances is a reference to a certain "Heinrich Derke" in a 1298 manuscript from the city of Erfurt.
In the 14th century, the Derke name appears in various municipal records and tax rolls across central Germany, indicating its growing presence among the local population. Notably, a merchant named "Hans Derke" is mentioned in the annals of the city of Leipzig in 1382.
As trade and migration increased in the following centuries, the Derke surname gradually spread to other parts of Germany and beyond. By the 16th century, it had also established a presence in neighboring regions such as Silesia and Bohemia.
One notable historical figure bearing the Derke name was Johann Derke (1535-1610), a Lutheran theologian and author from Saxony. He was known for his writings on the Reformation and his contributions to the development of Protestant theology.
Another individual of note was Georg Derke (1670-1738), a German military officer who served in the armies of several German principalities during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He was recognized for his bravery and leadership in various campaigns of the time.
In the 19th century, the Derke surname gained further recognition with the birth of Wilhelm Derke (1825-1892), a renowned German physicist and inventor. He made significant contributions to the study of electromagnetism and is credited with several pioneering inventions in the field of electrical engineering.
Another noteworthy figure was Anna Derke (1880-1945), a German writer and activist who advocated for women's rights and social reform during the early 20th century. Her works addressed issues of gender equality and the emancipation of women in German society.
Finally, one cannot overlook the accomplishments of Karl Derke (1905-1982), a German-born architect who gained international recognition for his innovative designs and contributions to modernist architecture. Several of his iconic buildings, including the Derke Tower in Berlin, have become landmarks in their respective cities.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Derke
Among Census respondents with the surname Derke, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.4%) and Black (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Derke bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Derke surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.7% · 107
- Two or more races4.4% · 5
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Derke
Derke appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-28 bearers (-20.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 33,296 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+5 bearers (+4.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,311 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #118,236 | 136 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | -28 bearers (-20.6%) | Down 33,296 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.6%) | Up 4,311 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Derke surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #151,532 | #147,221 | 2.8% |
| Count | 108 | 113 | 4.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Derke bearers went from 108 to 113 (+4.6% change). The surname moved up 4,311 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #147,221.
FAQ
Derke surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Derke?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Derke. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Derke?
Derke ranks #147,221 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 113 people with the surname Derke. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Derke.
Has Derke become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Derke went from 108 recorded bearers to 113. That is an increase of 5 (+4.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #151,532 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Derke?
Among Census respondents with the surname Derke, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.4%) and Black (0.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Derke in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.7% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Derke appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.7%), Two or More Races (4.4%), Black (0.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Derke (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Derke mean?
A surname potentially derived from a place name of Germanic origin. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Derke (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Derke?
See how many people are called Derke on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.