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

Newark, 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 Newark surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Newark in America

Newark is the 59017th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Newark surname appeared 343 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 Newark.

We can also compare 2010 data for Newark 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 Newark

The surname Newark originated in England during the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the city of Newark-on-Trent in Nottinghamshire. The name is believed to come from the Old English words "niowe" meaning "new" and "weorc" meaning "work" or "building," referring to a new fortified town or settlement.

The earliest recorded reference to the name Newark can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Newerche." This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Robert de Newark, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1197. Another early example is William de Newark, who was recorded in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1279.

In the 14th century, the surname Newark was also found in various spellings such as Newerk, Newerk, and Newwarke. This variation in spelling was common during this period due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

One notable figure with the surname Newark was John Newark (c. 1510-1588), an English Catholic priest and martyr. He was executed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I for his involvement in the Rising of the North, a rebellion against the Queen's religious policies.

Another individual of note was Sir Robert Newark (c. 1580-1649), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire. He played a significant role in the English Civil War, initially supporting the Royalist cause before switching sides to support the Parliamentarians.

In the 17th century, the surname Newark was also found in Scotland, possibly brought by English settlers or immigrants. One example is Robert Newark (1638-1714), a Scottish minister and Principal of the University of Glasgow from 1690 to 1714.

Other notable bearers of the surname include Thomas Newark (1759-1832), an English engraver and printmaker known for his topographical and architectural works, and Samuel Newark (1785-1855), an English librarian and bibliographer who served as the Keeper of Manuscripts at the British Museum.

While the surname Newark is not among the most common surnames, it has a rich history that can be traced back to medieval England and the city of Newark-on-Trent, reflecting the locational origins of many English surnames.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Newark

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

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

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

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