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

Quirke, 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 Quirke surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Quirke in America

Quirke is the 42378th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Quirke surname appeared 512 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 Quirke.

We can also compare 2010 data for Quirke 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 Quirke

The surname Quirke is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic word "cuirce" meaning "marsh" or "fen." It is believed to have originated in County Cork, Ireland, in the medieval period.

The name Quirke first appeared in historical records in the 13th century, with references to individuals bearing the surname in the Annals of Inisfallen and the Annals of the Four Masters. These medieval Irish chronicles chronicle events and genealogies from the earliest times.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Diarmaid Quirke, a 14th-century Irish lord who ruled over the territory of Muskerry in County Cork. His descendants continued to hold land and influence in the region for several centuries.

In the 16th century, the Quirke family was prominent in the region of Cloyne, County Cork. John Quirke (c. 1550-1617) was a notable figure, serving as the Bishop of Cloyne from 1591 until his death.

As the Quirke surname spread throughout Ireland, variations in spelling emerged, such as Quirk, Quirkey, and Kirke. These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the varying interpretations of the original Gaelic spelling by English record-keepers.

During the 17th century, the name Quirke appeared in the Petty Census of Ireland, a survey conducted in 1659 by Sir William Petty. This census provides valuable insights into the distribution of surnames across Ireland during that time period.

One notable bearer of the Quirke surname was Richard Quirke (1786-1858), an Irish lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer from 1846 until his death.

Another prominent figure was John Quirke (1805-1890), an Irish Catholic priest and advocate for tenant rights during the Land War in Ireland in the late 19th century.

In the literary world, Vance Quirk (1909-2003) was an American author and professor, best known for his contributions to the study of English grammar and rhetoric.

Maurice Quirke (1908-1987) was an Irish hurler and Gaelic footballer who played for Cork in the 1920s and 1930s, winning several prestigious championships.

While the surname Quirke is most commonly associated with Ireland, it has also spread to other parts of the world due to Irish emigration, particularly to Britain, the United States, and Australia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Quirke

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

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

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

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