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

Fenker, 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 Fenker surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fenker in America

Fenker is the 117480th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fenker surname appeared 148 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 Fenker.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fenker 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 Fenker

The surname Fenker has its origins in the German language and can be traced back to the late 14th century. It is believed to have originated in the southern regions of Germany, particularly in the areas around Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. The name is derived from the Middle High German word "venker," which referred to a person who was responsible for catching birds or small game using nets or traps.

One of the earliest records of the Fenker surname can be found in the historical town records of Augsburg, a city in Bavaria, where a certain Hans Fenker is mentioned as a resident in 1387. Additionally, there are references to individuals with the surname Fenker in various medieval manuscripts and chronicles from the 15th and 16th centuries.

In the 16th century, the surname Fenker appears to have spread beyond the borders of Germany, with records indicating individuals bearing this name in neighboring regions such as Austria and Switzerland. One notable figure from this period was Johann Fenker (1531-1601), a renowned clockmaker and inventor from Augsburg, who is credited with creating one of the earliest portable clocks.

As the surname Fenker continued to evolve over the centuries, it also became associated with certain place names in Germany. For instance, the village of Fenkendorf in Baden-Württemberg is believed to have derived its name from the Fenker surname, suggesting that the name may have originated in or around this area.

Another prominent individual with the Fenker surname was Johann Georg Fenker (1744-1809), a German lawyer and politician who served as the mayor of Mannheim, a city in Baden-Württemberg. His contribution to the city's development and governance during the late 18th century earned him recognition and respect among his contemporaries.

In the 19th century, the Fenker surname gained further prominence with the birth of Friedrich Fenker (1824-1891), a German painter and artist who was known for his landscape and genre paintings. His works were widely exhibited and celebrated during his lifetime, and he is considered one of the notable figures in the Düsseldorf school of painting.

As the Fenker surname spread across different regions of Germany and beyond, it also underwent various spelling variations, such as Fenkert, Fencker, and Fenger. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remained rooted in its association with the hunting and trapping of small game, a profession that was once prevalent in rural areas of Germany.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fenker

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

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

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

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