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

Slack, 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 Slack surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Slack in America

Slack is the 2692nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Slack surname appeared 13,377 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Slack.

We can also compare 2010 data for Slack 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 Slack

The surname SLACK is of English origin, dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "slæc," meaning "slack" or "hollow," which was likely used to describe a person who lived in a small valley or depression in the landscape.

The earliest recorded instances of the name appear in various medieval records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which mentions a William Slak. The Domesday Book of 1086 also contains references to place names like Slacca and Slachestone, which may have contributed to the development of the surname.

During the Middle Ages, the name was often spelled in various ways, including Slak, Slakke, and Slaik, reflecting the regional dialects and variations in pronunciation. The SLACK spelling became more standardized in the 16th and 17th centuries.

One notable bearer of the surname was John Slack (c. 1530-1608), an English Protestant minister and writer who served as the chaplain to Sir Francis Walsingham, the principal secretary to Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, Thomas Slack (1617-1677) was a prominent English Puritan minister who played a significant role in the Presbyterian movement during the English Civil War.

Another historical figure was Benjamin Slack (1756-1826), a British military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and later became the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man.

The name SLACK has also been associated with several place names, such as Slack in West Yorkshire, which likely influenced the adoption of the surname by families living in or near those locations.

Sir Benjamin Slack (1886-1967) was a notable 20th-century British businessman and philanthropist who founded the Slack Shoes company and supported various charitable causes.

Throughout history, the SLACK surname has been borne by individuals across various professions, from clergymen and soldiers to businessmen and academics, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who carried this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Slack

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

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

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

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