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

Slaker, 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 Slaker surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Slaker in America

Slaker is the 132259th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Slaker surname appeared 118 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Slaker.

The history of the last name Slaker

The surname Slaker has its origins in Northern Europe, specifically from the region that is now modern-day Germany and the Low Countries, around the late medieval period. The name appears to be of occupational origin, stemming from the Middle Low German and Dutch words "slak" or "slakken," which mean to slacken or loosen, possibly indicating a person involved in a trade requiring such a skill, such as shipbuilding or rope-making.

The surname Slaker shares similarities with other surnames such as Slacken and Schlaker, prevalent in records from the same regions. The name appears in old manuscripts and records dating back to the 15th century. One of the earliest recorded mentions is in a tax register from the Hanseatic League around 1470, where a Heinrich Slaker is listed as a merchant in the port city of Lübeck.

In the 16th century, a person named Johannes Slaker is documented in the records of the University of Rostock, where he was enrolled as a student of theology in 1523. This indicates the name was used by individuals engaged in various professional fields, not limited solely to occupational trades.

Further mentions of the surname can be found in the Netherlands during the 17th century. Notably, in 1647, a Jacobus Slaker is recorded as a resident of Amsterdam, who was involved in the burgeoning trade networks established during the Dutch Golden Age.

Moving into the 18th century, the surname Slaker appears in military records. A noteworthy individual is Friedrich Wilhelm Slaker, born in 1710, who served as an officer in the Prussian Army during the War of Austrian Succession and was mentioned in Frederick the Great’s correspondence.

In the early 19th century, the surname found its way across the Atlantic, with records indicating that a Peter Slaker, born in 1793, emigrated to the United States and settled in Pennsylvania. He is noted for his contributions to the early industrial activities in that region, particularly in ironworks.

The surname Slaker, while not among the most common, has a rich history tied to various professional and geographical origins, reflecting the diverse activities and migrations of those who bore it across centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Slaker

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

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 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Slaker 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.

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

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

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