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

Engelken, 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 Engelken surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Engelken in America

Engelken is the 38902nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Engelken surname appeared 567 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 Engelken.

We can also compare 2010 data for Engelken 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 Engelken

The surname Engelken has its origins in Germany, tracing back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old German words "engel" meaning angel and the diminutive suffix "-ken", suggesting a connection to someone of angelic or cherubic appearance or character.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Brandenburg Manorial Records of 1375, where a certain Henrich Engelken is listed as a landowner in the village of Kloster Zinna. The name was particularly prevalent in the regions of Lower Saxony and Westphalia during the medieval period.

In the 16th century, the Engelken surname is found in the municipal records of the city of Lübeck, where a Johannes Engelken is mentioned as a merchant and guild member in 1532. This suggests that the name had gained prominence among the prosperous trading class of northern Germany.

Notably, the name appears in the 1591 census of the town of Uelzen, where a family of Engelkens is recorded as residing on the outskirts of the town. This census provides valuable insight into the geographical distribution of the name during the Renaissance era.

One of the earliest notable figures with the surname Engelken was Johann Engelken (1518-1583), a Lutheran theologian and reformer who served as a pastor in the town of Stendal. His published works on theology and religious doctrine were widely circulated during the Protestant Reformation.

Another prominent individual was Hans Engelken (1599-1673), a renowned cartographer and mapmaker from Hamburg. His detailed maps of the German territories and surrounding regions were highly acclaimed for their accuracy and precision.

In the 18th century, Christoph Engelken (1725-1792) gained recognition as a distinguished composer and organist in the city of Lüneburg. His compositions for organ and church choir were widely performed throughout northern Germany during his lifetime.

The 19th century saw the rise of Wilhelm Engelken (1809-1879), a prominent lawyer and politician from Hanover. He served as a member of the Prussian House of Representatives and was a vocal advocate for legal reform and civil rights.

A notable figure in the field of education was Emma Engelken (1854-1931), who established one of the first schools for girls in the city of Bremen. Her progressive teaching methods and commitment to women's education earned her widespread recognition in the late 19th century.

While the Engelken surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora. However, this detailed history focuses primarily on the name's origins and notable bearers within its German homeland.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Engelken

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

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

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

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