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

Kolke, 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 Kolke surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kolke in America

Kolke is the 82044th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kolke surname appeared 230 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 Kolke.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kolke 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 Kolke

The surname KOLKE is of German origin, with roots dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated in the region of Lower Saxony, specifically in the area around the city of Hildesheim. The name is thought to be derived from the Old German word "kolke," which referred to a small pit or depression in the ground.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name KOLKE can be found in the town records of Hildesheim, where a certain Hans Kolke was mentioned as a landowner in the year 1572. It is possible that the name was originally an occupational surname, referring to someone who worked in or near these small pits or depressions.

In the 17th century, the name KOLKE appears in several historical documents from the region of Westphalia, suggesting that the family had spread out from its original base in Lower Saxony. One notable figure from this time period was Johann Kolke, a merchant who lived in the city of Münster and was involved in the trade of textiles and other goods.

As the KOLKE family continued to grow and spread throughout Germany, some members eventually migrated to other parts of Europe and even across the Atlantic to the Americas. In the 18th century, a man named Georg Kolke was recorded as one of the first settlers of the German community in Pennsylvania, having arrived in the year 1743.

Another notable bearer of the KOLKE surname was Wilhelm Kolke, a Prussian military officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars and rose to the rank of Major. He was born in 1785 and died in 1853, leaving behind a legacy of service to his country.

In the 19th century, the name KOLKE can be found in various records from different regions of Germany, including Bavaria, Saxony, and the Rhineland. One example is Heinrich Kolke, a prominent lawyer and politician from Cologne, who was born in 1822 and played a significant role in the early development of the German legal system.

Throughout its history, the surname KOLKE has maintained its connections to its German roots, even as family members have scattered across the globe. While not a particularly common name, it continues to be a part of the rich tapestry of German surnames and serves as a reminder of the diverse origins and occupations that have shaped family names over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kolke

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

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

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

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