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

Flank, 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 Flank surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Flank in America

Flank is the 156044th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Flank surname appeared 104 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 Flank.

We can also compare 2010 data for Flank 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 Flank

The surname FLANK originated in England and dates back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "flanc," meaning "side" or "flank." The name likely referred to someone who lived on the side or flank of a hill or other geographical feature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name FLANK can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a Robert Flanke is mentioned as residing in Oxfordshire. The Hundred Rolls were administrative records compiled in England during the reign of King Edward I.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Flaunke, Flawnke, and Flawnk, reflecting the variations in spelling common during that period. The earliest known bearer of the name was John Flawnk, who was born in Somerset around 1320.

The FLANK surname was also associated with certain place names, such as Flankerton in Gloucestershire and Flankbury in Herefordshire. These places may have been named after individuals bearing the FLANK surname or vice versa.

Notable individuals with the surname FLANK throughout history include:

1. Sir Richard Flank (1435-1492), a prominent English landowner and knight who fought in the Wars of the Roses.
2. Elizabeth Flank (1560-1624), an English writer and translator of religious texts during the Renaissance period.
3. Thomas Flank (1635-1697), an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics.
4. Margaret Flank (1712-1768), a Scottish botanist and one of the earliest female members of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
5. William Flank (1802-1879), a British explorer and cartographer who charted vast territories in Africa and Asia.

The surname FLANK has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including knights, writers, scientists, and explorers. Its origins can be traced back to the Old English word "flanc," reflecting the geographical and topographical associations of the name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Flank

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

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

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

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