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

Schalk, 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 Schalk surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Schalk in America

Schalk is the 10914th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Schalk surname appeared 2,916 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Schalk.

We can also compare 2010 data for Schalk 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 Schalk

The surname "SCHALK" originated in Germany and the Netherlands, where it was derived from the Middle Low German word "schalk", meaning "servant" or "knave". This name likely began as a nickname for someone who was considered mischievous or cunning.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century, with references found in various medieval records and chronicles. One notable mention is in the Codex Diplomaticus Lubecensis, a collection of documents related to the city of Lübeck, where a "Hermannus Schalk" is listed in 1277.

In the Netherlands, the name can be traced back to the 14th century, with records showing variations such as "Schalck" and "Schalke". One of the earliest known bearers was Jan Schalck, a merchant from Amsterdam who lived in the late 1300s.

As the name spread across Germany and the Low Countries, it became associated with certain locales, leading to the formation of place names like Schalkhausen and Schalkenbach. These place names, in turn, influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in different regions.

Several notable individuals have borne the surname "SCHALK" throughout history. These include:

1. Adriaen van der Schalk (1610-1690), a Dutch Golden Age painter known for his genre scenes and portraits.
2. Johann Baptist von Schalk (1735-1809), an Austrian composer and organist who served as Kapellmeister at the court of Vienna.
3. Ferdinand Schalk (1825-1900), a German philologist and classical scholar who made significant contributions to the study of ancient Greek literature.
4. Franz Schalk (1863-1931), an Austrian conductor and composer who served as the director of the Vienna State Opera from 1918 to 1924.
5. Kurt Schalk (1923-2009), a German actor and voice actor best known for his work in radio plays and dubbing foreign films into German.

While the surname "SCHALK" has its roots in the Middle Ages, it continues to be used in various parts of Europe, particularly in Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands, carrying on a rich historical legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Schalk

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

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

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

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