Sirk
A Scandinavian surname denoting someone who lived near a small marshy area.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 686 Americans carry the last name Sirk. That puts it at #37,993 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.20 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 499,642 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sirk surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
686
1 in 499,642
Census rank
#37,993
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
584
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 584 bearers of the surname Sirk in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.20 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 37993rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sirk, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.6%) and Hispanic (1.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sirk
The surname SIRK is of German origin, emerging in the late medieval period around the 14th century. It is derived from the Old German word "sirke," meaning a small stream or creek. This suggests that the name may have originated as a topographic surname, referring to someone who lived near a small watercourse.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SIRK can be found in the town records of Nuremberg, Germany, dating back to 1389. In these records, a certain Hans Sirk is mentioned as a landowner and tradesman.
Throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, the SIRK surname appeared in various regions of Germany, including Bavaria, Saxony, and the Rhineland. Variations in spelling, such as Sirck, Sircke, and Syrck, were also common during this time.
In the 17th century, the name SIRK gained prominence with the birth of Johann Christoph Sirk (1640-1712), a noted German composer and organist from Nuremberg. His contributions to the development of sacred music in the Baroque era were significant.
Another notable figure was Friedrich Wilhelm Sirk (1811-1879), a German-born industrialist who immigrated to the United States in the mid-19th century. He established successful textile mills in Pennsylvania and played a crucial role in the growth of the American textile industry.
Moving into the 20th century, the SIRK surname is associated with the influential German-American film director Douglas Sirk (1897-1987). Born Hans Detlef Sierck in Hamburg, he is renowned for his unique style and exploration of themes such as melodrama, social criticism, and gender roles in films like "All That Heaven Allows" and "Imitation of Life."
Another prominent figure with the SIRK surname was the German physicist Hans-Georg Sirk (1919-2007), who made significant contributions to the field of nuclear physics and served as the director of the Institute of Nuclear Physics at the University of Göttingen.
Lastly, the name SIRK has also been associated with the German-American author and playwright Karl Sirk (1926-2013), whose works often explored themes of immigration, identity, and cultural assimilation.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sirk
Among Census respondents with the surname Sirk, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.6%) and Hispanic (1.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Sirk bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Sirk surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.0%
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.6%
- Hispanic or Latino1.4%
- Two or more races1.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0%
- Black or African American0.9%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Sirk surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #37,993 | #37,993 | 0.0% |
| Count | 584 | 584 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.20 | 0.20 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Sirk bearers went from 584 to 584 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #37,993 to #37,993.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Sirk
FAQ
Sirk surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Sirk?
The surname Sirk holds position #37,993 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 686 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.20 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Sirk surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sirk, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.6%) and Hispanic (1.4%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.