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

Plunk, 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 Plunk surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Plunk in America

Plunk is the 14064th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Plunk surname appeared 2,140 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Plunk.

We can also compare 2010 data for Plunk 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 Plunk

The surname Plunk is believed to have originated in Germany, particularly in the southern regions, sometime during the late Middle Ages. It is thought to have derived from the German word "plunken," which means "to plunge" or "to plop." This could suggest that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a body of water or worked in a profession related to water, such as fishing or boating.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Plunk can be found in a document from the city of Augsburg, dated around 1450. This document mentions a certain Hanns Plunk, who was a merchant dealing in textiles. Another early record comes from the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, where a man named Peter Plunk is listed in a tax register from the year 1487.

During the 16th century, the name Plunk began to spread beyond its initial geographical confines, as people started migrating to other parts of Europe. In 1532, a man named Johann Plunk is recorded as having settled in the town of Strasbourg, which was then part of the Holy Roman Empire.

One of the most notable figures with the surname Plunk was Christoph Plunk, a German artist and engraver who lived from 1573 to 1641. He is best known for his intricate etchings and woodcuts depicting religious scenes and landscapes.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Hans Plunk, a German soldier who fought in the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648). He is mentioned in several historical accounts for his bravery and leadership during the Battle of Lützen in 1632.

In the 18th century, the name Plunk can be found in records from the town of Heidelberg, where a family with this surname owned a successful brewery. One of the members of this family, Johann Plunk (1724-1798), was a respected brewer and served as a council member in the town.

As people with the surname Plunk migrated to other parts of Europe and eventually to the Americas, the name underwent various spelling variations, such as Plunck, Plunke, and Plunker. Some of these variations may have been influenced by the local dialects or languages of the regions where the name was adopted.

Throughout its history, the surname Plunk has been associated with various occupations and professions, ranging from merchants and artisans to soldiers and brewers. While not a particularly common name, it has left its mark in various parts of Europe and beyond, reflecting the diverse experiences and stories of those who bore this surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Plunk

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

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

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

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