2000
#125,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Hemke
An occupational surname likely derived from a Middle Low German word meaning "shirt" or "shirt maker."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Hemke. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hemke surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Hemke in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hemke, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hemke
The surname "HEMKE" has its origins in Northern Germany, particularly in the region of Lower Saxony. It is believed to have emerged during the late medieval period, around the 14th or 15th century. The name is derived from the Old German word "hemmen," which means "to hinder" or "to stop." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who worked as a gate keeper or a toll collector, responsible for stopping and checking travelers or goods.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "HEMKE" can be found in the town records of Lüneburg, a historic city in Lower Saxony, dating back to the late 15th century. The name is also mentioned in the Bürgerbuch (citizen's book) of the city of Bremen from the early 16th century.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name "HEMKE" began to spread beyond Lower Saxony, with records showing individuals bearing this surname in various parts of Northern Germany, including the cities of Hamburg and Lübeck. It is believed that some families with this surname may have been involved in trade or mercantile activities, which facilitated their movement across the region.
In the 18th century, a notable figure with the surname "HEMKE" was Johann Heinrich Hemke (1705-1768), a German theologian and pastor from the town of Quedlinburg in Saxony-Anhalt. He was known for his published works on religious topics and his contributions to the Lutheran church.
Another individual of historical significance was Friedrich Wilhelm Hemke (1785-1865), a German writer and educator from the city of Magdeburg in Saxony-Anhalt. He authored several books on educational theory and pedagogy, and his works were widely read and influential in his time.
In the 19th century, the surname "HEMKE" was also found in other regions of Germany, including Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg. One prominent figure from this era was Carl Hemke (1820-1892), a German industrialist and entrepreneur from the city of Lübeck. He was a successful businessman and played a significant role in the development of the shipbuilding industry in the region.
Towards the end of the 19th century and into the early 20th century, some individuals with the surname "HEMKE" emigrated from Germany to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia. This was likely due to economic reasons or the search for better opportunities.
Throughout its history, the surname "HEMKE" has maintained a strong presence in Northern Germany, particularly in the regions of Lower Saxony and Bremen. While not a particularly widespread name, it has been associated with various professions and occupations, from theology and education to business and industry.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hemke
Among Census respondents with the surname Hemke, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Hemke bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Hemke surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.4% · 106
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hemke
Hemke appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
-6 bearers (-4.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 13,589 places
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
-10 bearers (-8.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,218 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #125,639 | 126 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-4.8%) | Down 13,589 places |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | -10 bearers (-8.3%) | Down 10,218 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Hemke surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #139,228 | #149,446 | -7.3% |
| Count | 120 | 110 | -8.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hemke bearers went from 120 to 110 (-8.3% change). The surname moved down 10,218 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #149,446.
FAQ
Hemke surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hemke?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Hemke. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Hemke?
Hemke ranks #149,446 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 110 people with the surname Hemke. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Hemke.
Has Hemke become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hemke went from 120 recorded bearers to 110. That is a decrease of 10 (-8.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Hemke?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hemke, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Hemke in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.4% (106 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hemke appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.4%), Hispanic (3.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Hemke (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Hemke mean?
An occupational surname likely derived from a Middle Low German word meaning "shirt" or "shirt maker." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Hemke (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Hemke?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.