2000
#132,259
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Roemke
A German surname derived from a place name or relating to a field of ferns.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Roemke. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Roemke 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.
Bearers in the US
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Roemke in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Roemke, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Black (1.8%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Roemke
The surname Roemke is of German origin, originating in the northern regions of Germany during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the ancient Germanic root word "roem," which means fame or renown, and the suffix "-ke," indicating a diminutive form. This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who was renowned or held a position of respect within their community.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Roemke can be traced back to the 13th century in the regions of Pomerania and Mecklenburg, where it was often spelled as "Roemcke" or "Roemke." During this time, the name appeared in various documents, including church records and municipal registers.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Johann Roemke (1500-1570) was a prominent Protestant reformer and theologian from Rostock, Germany. He played a significant role in the spread of Lutheran teachings in northern Germany and is remembered for his contributions to the reformation movement.
Another historical figure bearing the name Roemke was Hans Roemke (1675-1742), a German architect and master builder from Hamburg. He was renowned for his work on several notable buildings, including the St. Michaelis Church and the Alte Burgtor, which still stand as architectural landmarks in the city.
In the 19th century, a family of Roemkes from the region of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern gained recognition for their involvement in the agricultural sector. Wilhelm Roemke (1820-1895) was a successful farmer and landowner who introduced innovative farming techniques and played a pivotal role in the development of the region's agricultural industry.
During the same period, Ernst Roemke (1855-1910) was a respected German educator and writer. He authored several books on pedagogy and educational methods, contributing significantly to the advancement of teaching practices in Germany.
The surname Roemke also found its way into literature, with the German author and playwright Hans Roemke (1890-1965) gaining recognition for his satirical works and social critiques. His plays and novels often explored themes of societal norms and human behavior, earning him a place in the literary circles of his time.
While the name Roemke has its roots in northern Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora. However, its historical significance remains rooted in its Germanic origins and the notable individuals who bore this name throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Roemke
Among Census respondents with the surname Roemke, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Black (1.8%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Roemke 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 Roemke surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.3% · 108
- Black or African American1.8% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Roemke
Roemke 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
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+2 bearers (+1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,969 places
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
-9 bearers (-7.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,437 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #132,259 | 118 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.7%) | Down 6,969 places |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.5%) | Down 9,437 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 Roemke 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 | #139,228 | #148,665 | -6.8% |
| Count | 120 | 111 | -7.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Roemke bearers went from 120 to 111 (-7.5% change). The surname moved down 9,437 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #148,665.
FAQ
Roemke surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Roemke?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Roemke. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Roemke?
Roemke ranks #148,665 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 111 people with the surname Roemke. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Roemke.
Has Roemke become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Roemke went from 120 recorded bearers to 111. That is a decrease of 9 (-7.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Roemke?
Among Census respondents with the surname Roemke, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Black (1.8%) and Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Roemke in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.3% (108 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Roemke appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.3%), Black (1.8%), Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Roemke (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 Roemke mean?
A German surname derived from a place name or relating to a field of ferns. 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 Roemke (0.04 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 are called Roemke?
You can see how many people have the last name Roemke on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.