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

Rink, 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 Rink surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rink in America

Rink is the 10396th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rink surname appeared 3,099 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 Rink.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rink 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 Rink

The surname RINK is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "rinc," which meant a circular enclosure or a ring-shaped fortification. The name likely originated as a descriptive identifier for someone who lived near or worked at such a structure.

In the early medieval period, the name was often spelled as "Rinck" or "Rincke." It first appeared in historical records in the 13th century, with references to individuals bearing this surname in various regions of present-day Germany, such as Bavaria and Saxony.

One of the earliest documented mentions of the RINK surname can be found in the Codex Traditionum Monasterii Sancti Michaelis Bambergensis, a 13th-century manuscript from the Benedictine monastery in Bamberg, Germany. This record lists a certain "Conradus Rinck" as a witness to a land transaction in the year 1257.

In the 14th century, the name gained prominence with the emergence of Johannes Rink, a notable scholar and theologian from Nuremberg, who lived between 1365 and 1432. His writings on ecclesiastical law and canon law were widely influential during the Renaissance period.

Another notable figure bearing the RINK surname was Hans Rink, a German sculptor and woodcarver who lived from 1530 to 1599. His intricate woodcarvings adorned many churches and cathedrals in the Bavarian region, showcasing his exceptional craftsmanship.

As the surname spread across Europe, variations in spelling emerged, such as "Rinke," "Rincke," and "Rincken." In the 16th century, a prominent Dutch family adopted the spelling "Rink," and one of its members, Pieter Rink, became a successful merchant and alderman in Amsterdam, serving from 1587 to 1612.

In the 18th century, Johann Friedrich Rink, a German astronomer and mathematician, made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics. Born in 1717 in Saxony, he worked as a professor at the University of Leipzig and published numerous works on astronomy and astrophysics.

As the RINK surname spread across different regions and countries, it continued to be associated with various professions and individuals throughout history, leaving an indelible mark on the tapestry of human civilization.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rink

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

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

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

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