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

Monk, 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 Monk surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Monk in America

Monk is the 2964th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Monk surname appeared 12,103 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Monk.

We can also compare 2010 data for Monk 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 Monk

The surname MONK has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. The name is derived from the Old English word 'munuc', meaning a monk or a religious recluse. It was initially used as an occupational name for someone who was a monk or lived a monastic lifestyle.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Monac'. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century in various parts of England.

In the 13th century, the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire as 'le Monk'. This form indicates that the name was also used as a descriptive surname, referring to someone who had a monkish appearance or demeanor.

The surname MONK can also be traced back to various place names in England, such as Monk Bretton in Yorkshire, Monkton in various counties, and Monk Soham in Suffolk. These place names likely originated from the presence of monastic settlements or churches in those areas.

One notable bearer of the surname was George Monk, 1st Duke of Albemarle (1608-1670), a renowned English military leader who played a crucial role in the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660. Another prominent figure was Maria Monk (1816-1849), a Canadian woman who published a controversial book alleging misconduct in a Montreal convent.

Other historical figures with the surname MONK include Thelonious Monk (1917-1982), an influential American jazz pianist and composer, and William Henry Monk (1823-1889), an English composer and church musician best known for his hymn tunes.

In the United States, the surname MONK can be traced back to early colonial times, with records showing individuals bearing the name in Virginia and Massachusetts in the 17th century. One notable American with this surname was Alfred Monk (1869-1930), a lawyer and politician who served as the 25th Lieutenant Governor of California.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Monk

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

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

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

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