2000
#14,693
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,855
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.69
Rare Last name
Ronk
A Dutch surname meaning "bramble" or "wild rose bush".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,070 Americans carry the last name Ronk. That puts it at #15,588 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.60 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 165,582 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ronk 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
2.1K
1 in 165,582
Census rank
#15,588
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,805 bearers of the surname Ronk in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.60 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15588th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ronk, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Hispanic (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ronk
The surname "RONK" is of German origin and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the region of Rhineland, where it was likely derived from the Old German word "ronke," meaning "bent" or "crooked." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname referring to a person's physical appearance or perhaps a trade involving bending or shaping materials.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "RONK" can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of medieval documents from the Rhineland region. In a charter dated 1312, a certain "Johannes Ronk" is mentioned as a witness to a land transaction. This provides evidence that the name was already established in the area by the early 14th century.
In the 15th century, the name appears in various records from the cities of Cologne and Aachen. For example, a "Henrich Ronk" is listed as a citizen of Cologne in a city register from 1472. Additionally, a "Gerlach Ronk" is recorded as a resident of Aachen in a tax roll from 1487.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name "RONK" spread to other parts of Germany and neighboring regions. In 1587, a "Hans Ronk" is mentioned in a document from the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Franconia. Another notable figure was "Johann Ronk," a merchant from Leipzig who is recorded in a trade register from 1612.
As the name became more widespread, variations in spelling emerged, such as "Ronck," "Ronke," and "Ronque." These variations can be found in various historical records from different regions.
One notable individual with the surname "RONK" was "Johannes Ronk," a German scholar and philosopher who lived from 1624 to 1699. He was a professor at the University of Jena and authored several works on logic and metaphysics.
Another significant figure was "Heinrich Ronk," a German artist and engraver who lived from 1788 to 1859. He is known for his intricate engravings of landscapes and architectural scenes, many of which are housed in museums across Europe.
In the 19th century, the name "RONK" also appeared in other parts of Europe, likely due to migration and trade. For instance, a "Pierre Ronk" is recorded as a resident of Paris in a census from 1846, suggesting that the name had spread to France by that time.
It is worth noting that the name "RONK" may have connections to certain place names in Germany, such as the town of Ronkendorf in Saxony-Anhalt, which could have influenced the development of the surname in some cases.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ronk
Among Census respondents with the surname Ronk, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Hispanic (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Ronk 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 Ronk surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.7% · 1,674
- Two or more races3.3% · 59
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 53
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 7
- Black or African American0.3% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ronk
Ronk 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
#15,669
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,863
+8 bearers (+0.4%)
Per 100,000 0.63
Rank movement Down 976 places
2020
#15,588
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,805
-58 bearers (-3.1%)
Per 100,000 0.60
Rank movement Up 81 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #14,693 | 1,855 | 0.69 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #15,669 | 1,863 | 0.63 | +8 bearers (+0.4%) | Down 976 places |
| 2020 | #15,588 | 1,805 | 0.60 | -58 bearers (-3.1%) | Up 81 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 Ronk 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 | #15,669 | #15,588 | 0.5% |
| Count | 1,863 | 1,805 | -3.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.63 | 0.60 | -4.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ronk bearers went from 1,863 to 1,805 (-3.1% change). The surname moved up 81 positions in the national ranking, going from #15,669 to #15,588.
FAQ
Ronk surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ronk?
Name Census estimates that about 2,070 living Americans carry the surname Ronk. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 165,582 residents.
How common is Ronk?
Ronk ranks #15,588 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.60 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,805 people with the surname Ronk. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,070), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.6 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.60 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Ronk.
Has Ronk become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ronk went from 1,863 recorded bearers to 1,805. That is a decrease of 58 (-3.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #15,669 to #15,588.
What does the Census say about the background of Ronk?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ronk, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Hispanic (2.9%). 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 Ronk in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.7% (1,674 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ronk appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.7%), Two or More Races (3.3%), Hispanic (2.9%). 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 Ronk (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 Ronk mean?
A Dutch surname meaning "bramble" or "wild rose bush". 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 Ronk (0.60 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 Americans have the surname Ronk?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.