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

Salk, 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 Salk surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Salk in America

Salk is the 55741st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Salk surname appeared 368 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Salk.

We can also compare 2010 data for Salk 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 Salk

The surname SALK is of uncertain origin, with several possible explanations for its derivation. One theory suggests that it is a locational name from the village of Salk, located in the Netherlands. This village was first mentioned in historical records in the 13th century, and its name is believed to derive from the Old Dutch word "salec," meaning "willow" or "sallow."

Another potential origin for the SALK surname is that it may be a variant spelling of the German name Salch, which is derived from the Old German word "salaha," meaning "willow thicket." This name was particularly common in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony during the medieval period.

Early records of the SALK surname can be found in various historical documents, such as the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named Radulphus de Salca in Lincolnshire, England. Other early references include the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire in 1196, which list a person named Rogerus de Salk.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the SALK surname was Johann SALK, a German Protestant theologian and reformer who lived in the 16th century (1499-1560). Another notable figure was Friedrich SALK (1733-1805), a German philosopher and mathematician who made significant contributions to the field of calculus.

In the 19th century, the SALK surname gained prominence with the birth of Jonas SALK (1914-1995), the American medical researcher and virologist who developed the first successful polio vaccine. His groundbreaking work in immunology and virology has had a lasting impact on global public health.

Other notable individuals with the SALK surname include Robert SALK (1926-2019), an American physicist and author, and Peter SALK (born 1942), a renowned psychiatrist and author who is the son of Jonas SALK.

Throughout history, variations of the SALK surname have emerged, such as Salke, Salkey, and Salkey-Britten. These variations may reflect regional differences or changes in spelling over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Salk

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

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

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

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