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

Ek, 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 Ek surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ek in America

Ek is the 15546th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ek surname appeared 1,882 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 Ek.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ek 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 Ek

The surname "Ek" originates from the Netherlands and is derived from the Dutch word "eik," which means "oak tree." This name likely emerged in the Middle Ages, originating from a geographical location or a person's occupation related to oak trees or oak forests.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname "Ek" can be traced back to the 16th century in Dutch historical records and archives. One notable example is Pieter Ek, a merchant from Amsterdam who was mentioned in a trade document dated 1587.

In the 17th century, the name "Ek" appeared in various Dutch municipalities' records, including birth, marriage, and death registers. For instance, Jan Ek, born in 1632 in Utrecht, was a renowned woodcarver whose intricate works adorned several churches in the region.

As the Dutch expanded their colonial presence in the 17th and 18th centuries, the surname "Ek" spread to other parts of the world. One notable figure was Cornelis Ek, a Dutch settler who arrived in South Africa in 1688 and established a farm in the Cape Colony.

Another significant individual bearing this surname was Pieter Ek, a Dutch naval officer born in 1725 in Zeeland. He achieved fame for his exploits during the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War, commanding a fleet that engaged the British in several decisive battles.

In the 19th century, the surname "Ek" gained recognition in the field of academia. Johan Ek, born in 1842 in Amsterdam, was a renowned linguist and scholar who made significant contributions to the study of Germanic languages.

As people migrated and settled in different parts of the world, the surname "Ek" underwent various spelling variations, such as "Eck," "Ecke," and "Ekke." These variations can be found in historical records from various European countries, including Germany, Belgium, and France.

The name "Ek" has also been associated with several notable figures in more recent history, such as the Swedish writer and poet Tomas Ek, born in 1907, who was renowned for his poetic works exploring themes of nature and rural life.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ek

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

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

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

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