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

Planck, 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 Planck surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Planck in America

Planck is the 25295th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Planck surname appeared 979 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 Planck.

We can also compare 2010 data for Planck 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 Planck

The surname Planck is of German origin, deriving from the Middle High German word "planke," which means "plank" or "board." This suggests that the name may have originated as an occupational surname, referring to someone who worked with planks or boards, such as a carpenter or builder.

The earliest known record of the surname Planck dates back to the 13th century, appearing in various German regions, including Bavaria, Saxony, and Westphalia. It was often spelled in different variations, such as Planck, Plank, and Planke, reflecting regional dialects and scribal practices.

One of the earliest documented mentions of the surname Planck can be found in the medieval German manuscript "Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae," which includes a reference to a certain "Johannes Planck" in the year 1292.

In the 15th century, the name appeared in the records of the Free Imperial City of Nuremberg, where a notable figure named Hans Planck (c. 1420-1490) served as a respected jurist and legal scholar. His work on criminal law, known as the "Planck'sche Strafprozeßordnung," became influential in the region.

Another prominent individual with the surname Planck was Gottlieb Planck (1824-1910), a German philosopher and theologian who made significant contributions to the field of ethics and moral philosophy.

Perhaps the most famous bearer of the Planck surname is the renowned physicist Max Planck (1858-1947). Born in Kiel, Germany, he is widely regarded as the founder of quantum theory and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1918 for his groundbreaking work on the quantum nature of radiation.

Other notable individuals with the surname Planck include the German jurist and legal scholar Johann Julius Wilhelm Planck (1799-1880), who served as a professor at the University of Göttingen, and the German artist and graphic designer Armin Planck (1884-1942), known for his Art Nouveau and Art Deco designs.

While the surname Planck has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and intermarriage. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval German regions, where it likely originated as an occupational surname related to the trade of working with planks or boards.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Planck

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

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

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

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