Find out how popular the last name Scank is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Scank.
A surname of uncertain origin, possibly derived from a nickname or a place name.
Scank, 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 Scank surname is from the 2000 census data.
Scank is the 150436th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Scank surname appeared 100 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Scank.
The surname Scank is believed to have originated from the Low Countries in Europe, particularly from what is today the Netherlands and Belgium. Historical records suggest that the name could have been in use as early as the late Middle Ages, around the 14th or 15th century. The name appears to have roots in Dutch and possibly Low German languages.
The word "scank" or similar variants may have originated from the Middle Dutch word "schanke" or the Low German "schank," which both relate to the offering or serving of drinks, specifically beer or wine. The occupational nature of the name suggests that it was likely used to identify individuals involved in tavern-keeping or as innkeepers.
The name has been found in several historical references. In medieval Europe, taverns and inns were centers of local communities and important for travelers, which means surnames associated with these roles were quite common. The oldest records of the surname appear in guild registers and local censuses from the 15th century in cities like Antwerp and Amsterdam, where innkeeping and brewing were prominent trades.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname is Jan Scanke, an innkeeper in Antwerp mentioned in city records from 1479. Another early example is Gerard Schanke, documented as a brewer in the town of Delft in 1523. Over time, the spelling of the name varied slightly, and these changes can be seen in different regions or documents.
In historical records, the Scank name appears in various forms. In addition to "Scanke" and "Schanke," records from the 16th century in the Rhineland region of Germany list a Peter Schanck, born in 1545, who was known for his involvement in the local brewing industry. The varied spelling reflects the lack of standardized orthography during that period.
More records from the 17th century identify individuals such as Hendrik Schank, born in 1604, who was an innkeeper in Utrecht, and Willem Schancke, who appears in a 1638 muster roll from Haarlem as a soldier, indicating that members of the Scank family were involved in various professions.
Notably, the name Scank also appeared in early colonial American records. Hans Scank, born in 1641 in Amsterdam, emigrated to New Amsterdam (modern-day New York) in 1664, where he became a prominent figure in the small but growing Dutch community.
Throughout history, the Scank surname encapsulated the lives of individuals and families intimately connected to the social fabric of their communities through innkeeping, brewing, and hospitality—occupations that brought people together and served as vital community hubs. The surname continues to appear in historical documents, reflecting its resilience and the important roles its bearers played in their societies.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Scank.
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:
For the most recent 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Scank was:
| Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic White Only | 90.00% | 90 |
| Non-Hispanic Black Only | (S)% | (S) |
| Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | 0.00% | 0 |
| Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S) |
| Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | 6.00% | 6 |
| Hispanic Origin | 0.00% | 0 |
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.
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 Scank was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Scank, please contact us.
We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.
If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!
<a href="https://namecensus.com/last-names/scank-surname-popularity/">Scank last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.
Simple as that.