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

Jacks, 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 Jacks surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jacks in America

Jacks is the 5813th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jacks surname appeared 5,946 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Jacks.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jacks 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 Jacks

The surname Jacks is believed to have originated in England, with its roots dating back to the Middle Ages. The name is derived from the medieval English given name "Jack," which was a diminutive form of the name John. It was initially used as a nickname or descriptive surname to identify someone who was the son or servant of a person named John.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Jacks surname can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Jackes." This historical document was a survey of landholders in England compiled during the reign of King Edward I. The surname is also mentioned in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, indicating its presence in the northern regions of England.

In the 14th century, the Jacks surname was often associated with places or localities bearing similar names. For instance, there are references to individuals from the village of Jacks Arbor in Oxfordshire, which may have influenced the surname's spelling and pronunciation over time.

Several notable individuals throughout history have borne the Jacks surname. One of the earliest recorded was Robert Jacks (c. 1350 - 1420), a prominent merchant and landowner from Somerset. Another historical figure was Sir William Jacks (c. 1510 - 1584), a English soldier and politician who served as a Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the Jacks surname gained prominence with the birth of Richard Jacks (1628 - 1708), a renowned English clergyman and theologian who served as the Dean of Worcester. Another significant individual was Samuel Jacks (1785 - 1853), a British banker and philanthropist who contributed significantly to the development of educational institutions in London.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Jacks surname spread beyond England, with several individuals making their mark in various fields. One notable figure was Thomas Jacks (1743 - 1819), a Scottish-born merchant and industrialist who played a crucial role in the development of the cotton industry in Manchester, England.

Over the centuries, the Jacks surname has undergone various spelling variations, including Jackes, Jackis, and Jakes, reflecting the evolution of language and regional dialects. However, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained largely unchanged, tracing its roots back to the medieval English given name John.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jacks

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

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

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

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