Greinke
A surname of German origin meaning "small branch" or "twig".
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 377 Americans carry the last name Greinke. That puts it at #60,790 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.11 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 909,163 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Greinke surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
377
1 in 909,163
Census rank
#60,790
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
331
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 331 bearers of the surname Greinke in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.11 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 60790th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Greinke, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Greinke
The surname Greinke is of German origin and can be traced back to the 16th 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 German word "grün," which means "green," and may have been used to describe someone who lived near a green or verdant area.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Greinke can be found in the town records of Fürth, a city in Bavaria, where a man named Hans Greinke was mentioned in a document dating back to 1583. The name was also found in other historical documents from the region, such as church records and land registries.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Greinke surname began to spread across various parts of Germany and neighboring countries. Some notable individuals with this surname include Johann Greinke (1689-1759), a German composer and organist who was born in Nuremberg, and Friedrich Greinke (1801-1864), a German politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Frankfurt Parliament.
In the 19th century, the Greinke surname found its way to other parts of Europe and even to the United States. One notable American with this surname was Gustav Greinke (1838-1923), a German immigrant who served as a Union soldier during the American Civil War and later became a successful businessman in Wisconsin.
Another significant figure was Wilhelm Greinke (1855-1934), a German engineer and inventor who is credited with developing the first practical rotary printing press, which revolutionized the printing industry.
As the Greinke family spread across different regions, the spelling of the name evolved slightly, with variations such as Greinka, Greinke, and Greynke appearing in various records. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remained rooted in its German heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Greinke
Among Census respondents with the surname Greinke, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Greinke bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Greinke surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.5%
- Unknown or suppressed2.7%
- Two or more races1.8%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Greinke surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #54,152 | #60,790 | -12.3% |
| Count | 357 | 331 | -7.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.13 | 0.11 | -15.4% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Greinke bearers went from 357 to 331 (-7.3% change). The surname moved down 6,638 positions in the national ranking, going from #54,152 to #60,790.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Greinke
FAQ
Greinke surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Greinke?
The surname Greinke holds position #60,790 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 377 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.11 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Greinke surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Greinke, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.8%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.