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

Kunk, 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 Kunk surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kunk in America

Kunk is the 77264th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kunk surname appeared 248 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 Kunk.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kunk 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 Kunk

The surname KUNK has its origins in Germany, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "kunke," which means a drinking vessel or a mug. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname for someone who made or sold drinking vessels.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname KUNK can be found in the parish records of Wuerzburg, Bavaria, where a Johann KUNK was listed in 1548. Another early reference is found in the Kirchenbuch (church book) of Hesse, where a Hans KUNK was recorded in 1572.

In the 17th century, the name KUNK began to appear in various parts of Germany, including Saxony and Brandenburg. During this time, the spelling variations "Kunck" and "Kunke" were also used. One notable individual from this era was Johann Friedrich KUNK (1630-1695), a German theologian and author from Saxony.

As the name spread across Germany, it also made its way into other European regions. In the 18th century, there are records of individuals with the surname KUNK in the Netherlands and Switzerland. One such person was Hans Jakob KUNK (1722-1789), a Swiss clockmaker from Basel.

The 19th century saw the migration of many German families, including those with the surname KUNK, to various parts of the world. One notable individual from this period was Wilhelm KUNK (1829-1912), a German-American inventor and engineer who played a significant role in the development of early refrigeration systems.

Throughout history, the surname KUNK has been associated with various occupations and fields, including theology, clockmaking, engineering, and more. While not a particularly common name, it has left its mark across different regions and time periods, reflecting the rich cultural heritage and migration patterns of its bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kunk

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

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

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

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