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

Melk, 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 Melk surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Melk in America

Melk is the 154907th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Melk surname appeared 105 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 Melk.

The history of the last name Melk

The surname Melk has its origins in the medieval German language, and is believed to have first emerged in the region of Saxony in present-day eastern Germany. The name is thought to be derived from the Old German word "melcan," which means "to milk." This suggests that the name may have originally been used to describe someone who worked as a milkman or dairy farmer.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Melk can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of medieval documents from the region of Saxony. The name appears in a document dated to the year 1247, which mentions a man named "Henricus Melk" who was a landowner in the town of Meissen.

In the 14th century, the name Melk began to spread beyond the borders of Saxony, with records indicating the presence of families with this surname in other parts of Germany, as well as in neighboring countries such as Austria and Switzerland. One notable individual from this period was Johannes Melk, a monk and theologian who lived from 1345 to 1412 and was known for his writings on the spiritual life.

During the Renaissance and Reformation periods, the Melk surname continued to gain prominence, with several individuals bearing this name making significant contributions to various fields. One such figure was Andreas Melk (1490-1562), a German Protestant reformer and theologian who worked alongside Martin Luther in the early years of the Reformation movement.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Melk family emigrated to the Netherlands, where they became involved in the Dutch East India Company's trading operations. One member of this family, Willem Melk (1625-1683), served as a ship's captain and was known for his voyages to the East Indies and the Cape of Good Hope.

Another notable individual with the Melk surname was Johann Melk (1723-1798), a German composer and organist who was active in the late Baroque and early Classical periods. His compositions, particularly his organ works, were widely performed and admired during his lifetime.

As the centuries passed, the Melk surname continued to spread across Europe and eventually to other parts of the world, with families bearing this name establishing themselves in various countries and regions. While the name may have evolved slightly in spelling or pronunciation in some locations, its roots can be traced back to the medieval German word "melcan" and the dairy farming traditions of Saxony.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Melk

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

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 Melk 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.

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

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

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