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

Louk, 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 Louk surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Louk in America

Louk is the 20449th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Louk surname appeared 1,299 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 Louk.

We can also compare 2010 data for Louk 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 Louk

The surname LOUK has its origins in the Netherlands, emerging in the early 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Dutch word "louk," which translates to "leek" or "onion," suggesting that the name may have been initially given to someone who cultivated or traded in these vegetables.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the LOUK surname can be found in the archives of the city of Amsterdam, where a merchant named Hendrick LOUK is mentioned in a trade document dated 1523. This document details the importation of a shipment of leeks and onions from the neighboring regions.

In the 17th century, the LOUK name began to spread across the Netherlands, with families bearing this surname residing in cities such as Rotterdam, Utrecht, and Leiden. During this period, the name was also occasionally spelled as "Louck" or "Loucke," reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions.

The first known record of the LOUK surname outside of the Netherlands dates back to 1642, when a man named Jan LOUK is documented as having emigrated to the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam (present-day New York City). This suggests that the LOUK name may have been introduced to the Americas through early Dutch settlers.

One notable individual bearing the LOUK surname was Pieter LOUK (1689-1756), a renowned Dutch landscape painter who specialized in depicting rural scenes and farmland. His works are housed in several prestigious museums across Europe, including the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

Another figure of historical significance was Willem LOUK (1798-1872), a Dutch scientist and botanist who made significant contributions to the study of plant taxonomy. He is credited with identifying and classifying numerous plant species native to the Netherlands and surrounding regions.

In the 19th century, the LOUK surname gained recognition through the works of the Dutch author and poet, Gijsbert LOUK (1821-1892). His collection of poems and essays, published in 1865, explored themes of rural life and the beauty of the Dutch countryside.

As the LOUK name spread across Europe and beyond, it also took on variations in spelling, such as "Louck," "Loucks," and "Loucke," reflecting the influence of different linguistic traditions and regional dialects.

While the LOUK surname may have humble origins tied to the cultivation of vegetables, it has since become a part of the rich tapestry of Dutch cultural heritage, with bearers of this name making notable contributions to the arts, sciences, and literature throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Louk

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

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

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

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