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

Neak, 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 Neak surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Neak in America

Neak is the 111426th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Neak surname appeared 158 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 Neak.

We can also compare 2010 data for Neak 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 Neak

The surname NEAK is believed to have originated in the region of East Prussia, which is now modern-day Poland and Lithuania, during the early 15th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old Prussian word "neaki," which translates to "forest dweller" or "one who lives in the woods."

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name NEAK can be found in a document from the town of Königsberg, now known as Kaliningrad, dated around 1425. This document lists a local landowner named Johannes NEAK, who held a small estate in the surrounding woodlands.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name NEAK began to appear in various records and manuscripts across East Prussia and neighboring regions. In 1587, a merchant named Hans NEAK was recorded as a member of the Hanseatic League, a powerful economic alliance of guilds and merchant cities in northern Europe.

The village of Neaken, located in what is now western Lithuania, is believed to have been named after a prominent NEAK family who settled in the area during the late 16th century. This village is mentioned in several historical documents from the time, including a land survey conducted by the Teutonic Knights in 1598.

One notable figure with the surname NEAK was Johann Friedrich NEAK, a German-born navigator and explorer who sailed with the Dutch East India Company in the early 17th century. Born in Königsberg in 1587, NEAK is credited with mapping several islands in the Indian Ocean and documenting the flora and fauna of the region.

Another individual of note was Maria NEAK, a Prussian noblewoman who lived during the 18th century. Born in 1720, she was known for her philanthropic works and her support of educational initiatives for underprivileged children in her home region of East Prussia.

In the 19th century, the NEAK surname gained some prominence in the field of academia. Wilhelm NEAK (1812-1891) was a renowned German linguist and philologist who made significant contributions to the study of Old Prussian and Baltic languages.

Additionally, Ernst NEAK (1854-1928) was a respected historian and author who wrote extensively on the history and culture of East Prussia and the Teutonic Knights.

While the NEAK surname may have been more common in its region of origin, it has since spread to various parts of the world through migration and diaspora, maintaining its historical roots and connection to the forests of East Prussia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Neak

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

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

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

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