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

Shirk, 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 Shirk surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shirk in America

Shirk is the 4754th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shirk surname appeared 7,448 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Shirk.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shirk 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 Shirk

The surname SHIRK originated in Germany, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Middle High German word "scherken," meaning "to recoil" or "to shrink back." This suggests that the name may have been given as a nickname to someone who exhibited a tendency to avoid responsibilities or shy away from challenges.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SHIRK can be found in the Kirchenbücher, or church records, of the town of Kirchheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, where a certain Johannes Shirk was mentioned in 1587. Another early reference comes from the town of Darmstadt in Hesse, where a Michael Shirk was recorded in 1612.

In the 17th century, the name SHIRK appears in various records from the Palatinate region of Germany, particularly in the towns of Heidelberg and Speyer. It is possible that some individuals bearing this surname may have been among the many Palatine immigrants who left Germany for the British colonies in North America in the early 18th century, seeking religious freedom and economic opportunities.

One notable individual with the surname SHIRK was Johann Adam Shirk (1696-1766), a Lutheran pastor and theologian from Heidelberg. He served as a minister in several churches in the Palatinate region and authored several theological works during his lifetime.

Another figure of historical significance was Friedrich Shirk (1807-1888), a German-American farmer and businessman who immigrated to Pennsylvania in the 1830s. He established a successful agricultural enterprise and became known for his innovations in farming techniques and machinery.

In the 19th century, the SHIRK surname gained prominence in the United States, particularly in the state of Pennsylvania, where many German immigrants had settled. One noteworthy individual was John M. Shirk (1823-1904), a Union Army soldier during the American Civil War who later became a prominent lawyer and judge in Pennsylvania.

Another individual of note was William H. Shirk (1851-1924), an American businessman and industrialist from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He founded the Shirk Manufacturing Company, which produced agricultural machinery and implements, and contributed significantly to the region's economic development.

Throughout its history, the surname SHIRK has also been associated with various place names, such as Shirk's Mill, a former grist mill located in Pennsylvania, and Shirk's Hill, a geographic feature in Maryland.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shirk

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

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

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

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