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

Rinker, 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 Rinker surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rinker in America

Rinker is the 7050th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rinker surname appeared 4,750 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Rinker.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rinker 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 Rinker

The surname Rinker is believed to have originated in Germany, with its earliest known roots dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the German word "Ring," which means "ring" or "circle," and may have been used as an occupational name for someone who worked as a ring-maker or jeweler.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rinker can be found in the town records of Nuremberg, Germany, where a certain Johannes Rinker was mentioned in a document from the year 1298. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the late medieval period.

In the 16th century, there are records of a family named Rinker residing in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a well-preserved medieval town in Bavaria, Germany. The family is believed to have been involved in the metalworking trade, further supporting the theory that the name was originally an occupational surname.

As the Rinker family spread across Germany and other parts of Europe, variations in spelling began to emerge, such as Rincker, Rinkert, and Rincken. These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping at the time.

One notable individual with the surname Rinker was Johann Rinker (1545-1612), a German theologian and author who served as a professor at the University of Tübingen. His works on Protestant theology were widely read and influential during the Reformation period.

Another significant figure was Hans Rinker (1670-1748), a German architect who designed several notable buildings in the Baroque style, including the Schloss Favorite in Rastatt, Germany. His work was highly regarded and helped to shape the architectural landscape of the region.

In the 19th century, a prominent German-American with the surname Rinker was John Rinker (1824-1899), a successful businessman and entrepreneur who founded the Rinker Brewing Company in Chicago, Illinois. His company played a significant role in the city's burgeoning beer industry and helped establish German-American culture in the region.

Another noteworthy individual was Gertrude Rinker (1888-1976), an American philanthropist and patron of the arts. She was a major supporter of the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, Florida, and her contributions helped to establish the museum as a cultural hub in the area.

Throughout history, the surname Rinker has been associated with various professions and occupations, from metalworkers and jewelers to theologians, architects, and entrepreneurs. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Germany, the name has since spread to other parts of the world, carried by those who emigrated from their ancestral homelands.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rinker

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

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

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

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