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

Shenk, 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 Shenk surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shenk in America

Shenk is the 9778th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shenk surname appeared 3,314 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 Shenk.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shenk 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 Shenk

The surname Shenk has its origins in Germany, emerging in the 14th century. It is likely derived from the German word "schenken," which means "to pour" or "to serve." This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals who worked as servers or innkeepers.

Records indicate that the name Shenk first appeared in the town of Schenkenzell, located in the Black Forest region of Germany. This area was known for its vineyards and wine production, further supporting the connection between the name and the act of serving or pouring drinks.

One of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in the Hausser Chronicles, a historical record from the late 15th century. In this manuscript, a man named Hans Shenk is mentioned as a prominent citizen of Schenkenzell.

By the 16th century, the name had spread to other parts of Germany, as well as neighboring regions such as Switzerland and Alsace. In 1572, a Swiss farmer named Jakob Shenk is recorded as owning land near the town of Bern.

As the name spread across Europe, various spellings emerged, including Schenk, Schencke, and Schenck. One notable figure was Sir John Schenck, a Dutch military engineer who lived from 1551 to 1619 and served under Prince Maurice of Nassau during the Eighty Years' War.

In the 17th century, members of the Shenk family began emigrating to North America, settling in areas such as Pennsylvania and Maryland. One of the earliest recorded Shenks in America was Hans Shenk, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1683 and established a farm in what is now Lancaster County.

Another prominent individual with the surname Shenk was Martin G. Shenk, an American historian and genealogist who lived from 1819 to 1892. He authored several works on the history of Pennsylvania and the Shenk family lineage.

In more recent times, Joseph T. Shenk (1857-1941) was a successful businessman and philanthropist from Pennsylvania, renowned for his contributions to various educational and charitable institutions.

Overall, the surname Shenk has a rich history dating back to medieval Germany, with its origins likely rooted in the occupation of serving drinks or working as an innkeeper. Over the centuries, the name has spread across Europe and to the Americas, with various notable individuals carrying on the Shenk legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shenk

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

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

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

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