2000
#5,426
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,905
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.19
Rare Last name
Quirk
An English surname derived from the Middle English term "quirk," meaning a clever twist or subtle verbal trait.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,657 Americans carry the last name Quirk. That puts it at #5,751 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.94 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 51,488 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Quirk surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Quirk with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
6.7K
1 in 51,488
Census rank
#5,751
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,805 bearers of the surname Quirk in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.94 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5751st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Quirk, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Quirk
The surname QUIRK is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "cwirc" or "cwirce," meaning a sharp turn or twist. It is believed to have originated as a descriptive nickname for someone with a peculiar or eccentric habit or characteristic.
QUIRK first appeared in historical records in the late 13th century. One of the earliest recorded instances is found in the Hundred Rolls of Gloucestershire, dating back to 1273, where a person named William Quirk was mentioned.
In the 14th century, the surname was often spelled as "Qwyrke" or "Qwyrkke," reflecting the evolution of the English language and spelling conventions at the time.
The QUIRK surname has been associated with several notable figures throughout history. In the 16th century, John Quirk (c. 1560-1634) was a prominent English clergyman and author who wrote several theological works.
During the English Civil War, Edward Quirk (c. 1620-1688) was a Puritan preacher and supporter of the Parliamentary cause. He was known for his fiery sermons and political activism.
In the 18th century, John Quirk (1701-1765) was an English engraver and artist who produced numerous engravings and illustrations for books and publications.
In the 19th century, Sir John Quirk (1828-1904) was a British naval officer and explorer. He participated in several Arctic expeditions and was knighted for his contributions to navigation and exploration.
Another notable figure was Mary Ann Quirk (1830-1912), an Irish-American educator and activist. She founded several schools and organizations dedicated to promoting education and women's rights in the United States.
Over time, the QUIRK surname has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Quirk's Farm in Dorset and Quirk's Hill in Lancashire, reflecting the geographical spread of families bearing this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Quirk
Among Census respondents with the surname Quirk, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Quirk bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Quirk surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.1% · 5,346
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 192
- Two or more races2.8% · 162
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 51
- Black or African American0.6% · 33
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 21
Timeline
Historical Census data for Quirk
Quirk appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#5,443
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,392
+487 bearers (+8.2%)
Per 100,000 2.17
Rank movement Down 17 places
2020
#5,751
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,805
-587 bearers (-9.2%)
Per 100,000 1.94
Rank movement Down 308 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,426 | 5,905 | 2.19 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,443 | 6,392 | 2.17 | +487 bearers (+8.2%) | Down 17 places |
| 2020 | #5,751 | 5,805 | 1.94 | -587 bearers (-9.2%) | Down 308 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Quirk surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,443 | #5,751 | -5.7% |
| Count | 6,392 | 5,805 | -9.2% |
| Per 100K | 2.17 | 1.94 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Quirk bearers went from 6,392 to 5,805 (-9.2% change). The surname moved down 308 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,443 to #5,751.
FAQ
Quirk surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Quirk?
Name Census estimates that about 6,657 living Americans carry the surname Quirk. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 51,488 residents.
How common is Quirk?
Quirk ranks #5,751 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.94 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,805 people with the surname Quirk. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,657), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.94 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.94 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Quirk.
Has Quirk become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Quirk went from 6,392 recorded bearers to 5,805. That is a decrease of 587 (-9.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #5,443 to #5,751.
What does the Census say about the background of Quirk?
Among Census respondents with the surname Quirk, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Quirk in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.1% (5,346 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Quirk appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.1%), Hispanic (3.3%), Two or More Races (2.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Quirk (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Quirk mean?
An English surname derived from the Middle English term "quirk," meaning a clever twist or subtle verbal trait. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Quirk (1.94 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Quirk?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.