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

Prock, 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 Prock surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Prock in America

Prock is the 15771st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Prock surname appeared 1,848 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 Prock.

We can also compare 2010 data for Prock 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 Prock

The surname Prock originates from the German-speaking regions of Europe, particularly in Austria and parts of southern Germany. Its earliest recorded use dates back to the 16th century, where it was likely derived from the German word "Brock," which means "badger" or "brock."

During the Middle Ages, many surnames were derived from occupations, physical characteristics, or associations with animals. The name Prock may have initially referred to someone who hunted or trapped badgers or had some connection to these animals. Alternatively, it could have been a nickname for someone with a stocky build or personal traits reminiscent of a badger.

One of the earliest known references to the name Prock can be found in the records of the town of Innsbruck, Austria, dating back to the late 1500s. These records mention a family with the surname Prock residing in the area during that period.

In the 17th century, the name appears in various church records and local documents across regions of Austria and southern Germany. For instance, Johann Prock, a farmer from the village of Neukirchen, was born in 1634 and lived until 1698.

As the centuries passed, the Prock surname spread across Europe, with some notable individuals bearing the name. One such person was Friedrich Prock, a renowned Austrian painter and engraver born in 1784 in Vienna. His works were widely acclaimed during his lifetime and can be found in several notable art collections.

Another notable figure was Wilhelm Prock, a German mathematician and physicist born in 1825 in Württemberg. He made significant contributions to the field of optics and was a professor at several prestigious universities in Germany.

In the late 19th century, the name Prock was associated with a prominent family in the town of Linz, Austria. Heinrich Prock, born in 1856, was a successful businessman and philanthropist who funded the construction of a local hospital and orphanage.

While the surname Prock may not be as common as some other European surnames, it has a rich history dating back several centuries, with roots deeply entrenched in the German-speaking regions of central Europe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Prock

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

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

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

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