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

Panken, 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 Panken surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Panken in America

Panken is the 147095th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Panken surname appeared 103 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Panken.

The history of the last name Panken

The surname Panken has its origins in the Ashkenazi Jewish communities of Central and Eastern Europe. Specifically, it is believed to have originated in Germany during the early medieval period, possibly around the 12th or 13th century. The name is likely derived from the Middle High German word "panken," which means "to pound" or "to strike." This could indicate that the original bearer of the name had an occupation involving physical labor, such as a blacksmith or a miller.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Panken appears in German municipal records from the 14th century, where a Heinrich Panken is mentioned in a tax register from the city of Cologne dated 1334. The name was also found in various spellings through centuries, including Panken and Pancken. These variants were seen in various German principalities and duchies, suggesting that the family or families bearing this name were relatively mobile or that the name was independently adopted in different regions.

Significant historical references to the name include its presence in the lists of Jewish communities that relocated due to persecution or economic opportunities. In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, several records from Lublin, a historic city in Poland, mention a David Panken, a prominent member of the local Jewish community, who was instrumental in the construction of a new synagogue around 1725.

The name made its way to North America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as Jewish immigrants fled from pogroms and economic difficulties in Europe. One notable bearer of the name in the United States is Daniel Panken, born in 1879, who became an influential labor leader and politician. He served as a judge in New York City and was active in progressive and socialist causes until his death in 1968.

In literature, the name Panken is found in the records of Jewish educational institutions in Eastern Europe. Another notable bearer is Jacob Panken, born in 1879, who was a key figure in the early 20th-century American labor movement and a founding member of the Workmen’s Circle, a Jewish fraternal organization dedicated to social justice. He passed away in 1968.

Notably, Stephen Panken, born in 1921, was a renowned social worker and educator who contributed significantly to the field of community organizing in the mid-20th century. His work focused on improving living conditions for underprivileged communities in urban settings.

In the realm of academia and religion, Rabbi Aaron Panken, born in 1964, was a significant figure in contemporary Jewish scholarship and education. He served as the president of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion until his untimely death in 2018, leaving a lasting legacy on modern Jewish education and thought.

The surname Panken, though not exceedingly common, has a rich history tied to significant cultural, social, and political movements across various regions and centuries. The bearers of this surname have made notable contributions to their communities, leaving an enduring impact on their respective spheres.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Panken

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

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 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Panken 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 Panken was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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