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

Goke, 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 Goke surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Goke in America

Goke is the 113155th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Goke surname appeared 155 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 Goke.

We can also compare 2010 data for Goke 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 Goke

The surname GOKE is believed to have originated in Germany during the Middle Ages. It is thought to have been derived from the Old German word "gok," which referred to a type of small boat or vessel used for fishing or transport on rivers and lakes.

The earliest known records of the name date back to the 13th century, with references found in various manuscripts and official documents from the regions of Bavaria and Saxony. One notable mention is in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from the 13th to 15th centuries, where the name appears as "Gocke" in connection with a landowner or merchant.

In the 14th century, the name GOKE is recorded in the Bavarian town of Landshut, where a certain Johannes Goke was a respected citizen and member of the local council. His descendants continued to use the surname for several generations.

As the name spread across different regions, it underwent slight variations in spelling, such as "Gocke," "Gökke," and "Göke," reflecting local dialects and scribal conventions. These variations can be found in various historical records and chronicles from the late medieval period.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname GOKE was Hans Goke, a German artist and woodcarver who lived in the 15th century. His intricate woodcarvings adorned several churches and cathedrals in southern Germany, and his work is still celebrated today.

Another notable figure was Jakob Goke, a 16th-century German theologian and scholar who served as a professor at the University of Wittenberg. He was a contemporary of Martin Luther and contributed to the Protestant Reformation through his writings and teachings.

In the 17th century, a family named GOKE owned a successful brewing business in the city of Nuremberg. Their brewery, known as "Goke's Brauhaus," was renowned for its high-quality beer and was a popular establishment among the city's residents.

A military officer named Friedrich von Goke served in the Prussian army during the Napoleonic Wars of the early 19th century. He participated in several major battles and was decorated for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.

Throughout the centuries, the GOKE surname has maintained a presence in various German-speaking regions, with descendants scattered across Germany, Austria, and other neighboring countries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Goke

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

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

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

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