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

Flock, 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 Flock surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Flock in America

Flock is the 13867th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Flock surname appeared 2,179 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 Flock.

We can also compare 2010 data for Flock 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 Flock

The surname Flock is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the northern counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire. It first appeared around the 13th century and is thought to be derived from the Old English word "flocc," meaning a flock or group of people or animals.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Flock can be found in the Wakefield Court Rolls of 1275, where a Robert Flok is listed as a landowner. The surname also appears in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, suggesting a long history in the region.

The name Flock may have initially been used as a descriptive surname, referring to someone who worked with or tended to flocks of sheep or other livestock. It could also have been used as a nickname for someone who was known to gather or lead groups of people.

In the 16th century, the surname Flock was found in various records across Yorkshire, including the Parish Registers of Guiseley, where a Thomas Flocke was recorded in 1564. The name also appeared in the records of the nearby town of Otley, where a John Flocke was listed in 1587.

One notable individual with the surname Flock was Sir John Flock (1602-1678), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Nottingham during the English Civil War. He was a staunch Royalist and supported King Charles I, for which he was later imprisoned by the Parliamentarians.

Another historically significant bearer of the name was James Flock (1751-1819), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. He was renowned for his bravery and leadership, earning several promotions and honors throughout his career.

In the literary world, the novelist and poet John Flock (1828-1904) gained recognition for his works depicting rural life in Yorkshire. His best-known novel, "The Dalesfolk," published in 1867, was praised for its authentic portrayal of the Yorkshire countryside and its inhabitants.

The surname Flock also has connections to the town of Flock, located in the East Riding of Yorkshire. While the town's name may have influenced the surname, the exact relationship between the two is unclear.

Other notable individuals with the surname Flock include William Flock (1857-1932), a British architect responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in Yorkshire, and Emily Flock (1889-1976), a pioneering female physician who established one of the first women's health clinics in London.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Flock

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

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

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

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