2010
#142,108
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Schnoke
A North German surname derived from the Low German word "snoke" meaning "snout" or "snout-like projection."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Schnoke. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Schnoke 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Schnoke in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Schnoke, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Schnoke
The surname Schnoke is of German origin, with its roots tracing back to the northern regions of Germany during the 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Middle Low German word "schnook," which means "beak" or "snout," potentially referring to a physical characteristic or a nickname given to an ancestor.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Schnoke name can be found in the Salzwedel registry in the Altmark region, where a Claus Schnoke was mentioned in 1492. This region, now part of the modern-day state of Saxony-Anhalt, was a stronghold of the Schnoke family during the medieval period.
In the 16th century, the Schnoke name appeared in various church records and municipal documents across northern Germany, particularly in the areas around Lüneburg and Stade. Notable individuals bearing this surname during this time include Hans Schnoke (c. 1520-1589), a merchant and landowner in Lüneburg, and Greta Schnoke (c. 1535-1607), a respected midwife in the town of Stade.
As the Schnoke family spread throughout Germany, the name underwent minor variations in spelling, such as Schnoke, Schnöke, and Schnöcke. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the scribes' interpretations.
In the 17th century, the Schnoke name gained recognition with the birth of Johann Christoph Schnoke (1642-1718), a renowned theologian and author from Lübeck. His works on theological subjects were widely circulated and contributed to the intellectual discourse of the time.
Another notable figure bearing the Schnoke surname was Friedrich Wilhelm Schnoke (1790-1865), a prominent lawyer and politician from Hanover. He served as a member of the Hanoveran Landtag (state parliament) and played a significant role in shaping legal reforms during his tenure.
As the Schnoke family continued to grow and disperse across Germany and beyond, the name appeared in various historical records, including birth, marriage, and death registries, as well as land ownership documents and military records.
While the Schnoke surname is not among the most common in Germany today, it has left an indelible mark on the history and cultural fabric of the northern regions, with its roots deeply intertwined with the rich tapestry of German heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Schnoke
Among Census respondents with the surname Schnoke, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Schnoke 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 Schnoke surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.3% · 102
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Schnoke
Schnoke appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-10 bearers (-8.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,531 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #142,108 | 117 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -10 bearers (-8.5%) | Down 9,531 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 Schnoke 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 | #142,108 | #151,639 | -6.7% |
| Count | 117 | 107 | -8.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Schnoke bearers went from 117 to 107 (-8.5% change). The surname moved down 9,531 positions in the national ranking, going from #142,108 to #151,639.
FAQ
Schnoke surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Schnoke?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Schnoke. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Schnoke?
Schnoke ranks #151,639 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 107 people with the surname Schnoke. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), 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 Schnoke.
Has Schnoke become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Schnoke went from 117 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 10 (-8.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #142,108 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Schnoke?
Among Census respondents with the surname Schnoke, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (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 Schnoke in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.3% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Schnoke appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.3%), Hispanic (3.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (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 Schnoke (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 Schnoke mean?
A North German surname derived from the Low German word "snoke" meaning "snout" or "snout-like projection." 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 Schnoke (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 Schnoke?
See how many Americans have the surname Schnoke on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.