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

Renken, 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 Renken surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Renken in America

Renken is the 13203rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Renken surname appeared 2,315 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 Renken.

We can also compare 2010 data for Renken 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 Renken

The surname RENKEN is of German origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval era. It was predominantly used in the regions of Northern Germany, particularly in the states of Lower Saxony and Westphalia. The name is believed to have derived from the Old German word "renk," which referred to a strong, vigorous person or a warrior.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the RENKEN surname can be found in the Wachenbuch, a genealogical record from the city of Osnabrück, dated back to the 14th century. This document mentions a certain Henricus Renken, a prominent citizen of the town.

In the 16th century, the name appears in the records of the Protestant Reformation, with a notable figure named Johannes Renken, a Lutheran minister and theologian from Lübeck (1525-1589). He played a significant role in the spread of Lutheranism in Northern Germany.

During the 17th century, the RENKEN surname gained prominence in the city of Bremen, where a family of merchants and traders bearing this name established themselves. One of the most notable members was Gerhard Renken (1625-1692), a successful merchant and philanthropist who funded the construction of several churches and schools in the city.

In the realm of literature, the German author and playwright Christian Renken (1753-1826) from Osnabrück gained recognition for his works, which included plays, novels, and satires. His satirical novel "Die Abenteuer des Freiherrn von Münchhausen" (The Adventures of Baron Münchhausen) is considered a classic of German literature.

Another notable individual with the RENKEN surname was Carl Friedrich Renken (1786-1857), a German mathematician and astronomer. He made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics and served as the director of the observatory in Kassel.

The RENKEN surname can also be traced back to the regions of Westphalia, where it was often associated with various place names, such as Renkendorf, Renkenbach, and Renkenberg. These place names likely influenced the formation of the surname, reflecting the geographical origins of different RENKEN families.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Renken

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

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

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

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