2000
#147,095
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Ilk
A Scottish surname derived from the Turkish word "el" meaning a tribe or nation.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Ilk. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ilk 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Ilk in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ilk, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ilk
The surname ILK is believed to have originated in Scotland, where it first appeared in the early 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "ilk," meaning "same," and was used as a suffix to indicate that the bearer of the name was from the place designated by the first part of the name.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name ILK can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a series of parchment rolls recording the names of Scottish nobles who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. The name appears in these rolls as "William de la Ilk," suggesting that the name was already in use by this time.
In the 14th century, the name ILK is mentioned in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, which were records of government accounts and transactions. The entry "Johannes de Ilk" appears in these rolls, indicating that the name was still in use during this period.
The name ILK has also been associated with various place names throughout Scotland, such as Ilkeston in Derbyshire and Ilkley in West Yorkshire. These place names may have contributed to the development and spread of the surname in different regions.
One notable individual with the surname ILK was Sir John Ilk, a Scottish nobleman who lived in the late 14th century. He was a supporter of King Robert III and played a role in the Scottish Wars of Independence against England.
Another significant figure with the surname ILK was William Ilk, a Scottish merchant and trader who lived in the 16th century. He was involved in the lucrative trade between Scotland and the Low Countries and is mentioned in various records from that time.
In the 17th century, a prominent individual with the surname ILK was Robert Ilk, a Scottish clergyman and academic. He served as the Principal of the University of Edinburgh and was known for his contributions to the field of theology.
A more recent historical figure with the surname ILK was James Ilk, a Scottish soldier and military officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars. He served in several major battles, including the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, and was awarded for his bravery and leadership.
Finally, one of the most renowned individuals with the surname ILK was Sir Alexander Ilk, a Scottish explorer and adventurer who lived in the late 19th century. He is best known for his expeditions to Africa and his writings on his travels, which provided valuable insights into the cultures and landscapes he encountered.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ilk
Among Census respondents with the surname Ilk, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Ilk 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 Ilk surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.3% · 102
- Hispanic or Latino8.0% · 9
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ilk
Ilk 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
#133,863
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
+23 bearers (+22.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 13,232 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-13 bearers (-10.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 13,358 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #147,095 | 103 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,863 | 126 | 0.04 | +23 bearers (+22.3%) | Up 13,232 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | -13 bearers (-10.3%) | Down 13,358 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 Ilk 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 | #133,863 | #147,221 | -10.0% |
| Count | 126 | 113 | -10.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ilk bearers went from 126 to 113 (-10.3% change). The surname moved down 13,358 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,863 to #147,221.
FAQ
Ilk surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ilk?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Ilk. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Ilk?
Ilk ranks #147,221 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 113 people with the surname Ilk. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), 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 Ilk.
Has Ilk become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ilk went from 126 recorded bearers to 113. That is a decrease of 13 (-10.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,863 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Ilk?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ilk, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%). 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 Ilk in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.3% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ilk appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.3%), Hispanic (8.0%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%). 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 Ilk (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 Ilk mean?
A Scottish surname derived from the Turkish word "el" meaning a tribe or nation. 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 Ilk (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 Ilk?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.