2000
#148,244
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Sellke
A German surname derived from the German word "Selle," meaning "hall" or "room."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Sellke. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sellke 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Sellke in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sellke, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sellke
The surname Sellke originated in Germany, with its earliest known records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "sele," which means a small house or hut. This suggests that the name was initially associated with individuals who lived in modest dwellings or were involved in the construction of such structures.
The earliest documented instance of the Sellke surname can be found in the records of the city of Nuremberg, Bavaria, in the year 1542. These records mention a man named Hans Sellke, who was a carpenter by trade. It is possible that his occupation and the nature of his work contributed to the evolution of the surname.
In the 17th century, the Sellke name appeared in various church records and tax registers across different regions of Germany, indicating its widespread presence. One notable individual from this period was Johann Sellke, born in 1624 in the town of Görlitz, Saxony. He was a prominent merchant and landowner, and his legacy can be traced through his descendants in the area.
During the 18th century, the Sellke surname gained further recognition with the birth of Friedrich Sellke in 1712 in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony. Friedrich was a respected scholar and author, known for his contributions to the field of philosophy and his writings on ethics and moral philosophy.
As the Sellke family continued to expand and migrate across Germany, they left their mark in various professions and walks of life. In the 19th century, Wilhelm Sellke, born in 1839 in Berlin, distinguished himself as a renowned architect. His designs and buildings can still be admired in several German cities.
Another notable figure from the 19th century was Elise Sellke, born in 1856 in Hamburg. She was a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights, founding several schools and organizations aimed at promoting educational opportunities for girls and women.
While the Sellke surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through immigration and migration. However, the historical records and accounts presented here provide a glimpse into the origins and early history of this name, showcasing its evolution and the contributions of some of its notable bearers over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sellke
Among Census respondents with the surname Sellke, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Sellke 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 Sellke surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.6% · 108
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.7% · 3
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sellke
Sellke 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
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+8 bearers (+7.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,151 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+3 bearers (+2.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,174 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #148,244 | 102 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+7.8%) | Down 1,151 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.7%) | Up 2,174 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 Sellke 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 | #149,395 | #147,221 | 1.5% |
| Count | 110 | 113 | 2.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sellke bearers went from 110 to 113 (+2.7% change). The surname moved up 2,174 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #147,221.
FAQ
Sellke surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sellke?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Sellke. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Sellke?
Sellke ranks #147,221 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 113 people with the surname Sellke. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), 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 Sellke.
Has Sellke become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sellke went from 110 recorded bearers to 113. That is an increase of 3 (+2.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #149,395 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Sellke?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sellke, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%) and Two or More Races (1.8%). 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 Sellke in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.6% (108 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sellke appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%), Two or More Races (1.8%). 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 Sellke (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 Sellke mean?
A German surname derived from the German word "Selle," meaning "hall" or "room." 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 Sellke (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 share the surname Sellke?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.