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

Stalker, 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 Stalker surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Stalker in America

Stalker is the 9421st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Stalker surname appeared 3,452 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 Stalker.

We can also compare 2010 data for Stalker 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 Stalker

The surname Stalker originated in England during the medieval period, derived from the Middle English word "stalker," which referred to a person who engaged in hunting or stalking game. This occupation-based surname was likely given to individuals whose primary livelihood involved tracking and pursuing animals for food or sport.

The earliest recorded instances of the Stalker surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various English records and documents. One notable example is found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1273, which mention a William le Stalker. This entry suggests that the name was already in use as a descriptive identifier for an individual's profession or occupation.

During the medieval period, the Stalker surname was most prevalent in the northern counties of England, particularly in Yorkshire and Lancashire. This geographic concentration aligns with the region's rich hunting traditions and the importance of hunting as a means of sustaining communities.

In the 16th century, the Stalker surname appeared in the records of St. Mary's Church in Beverley, Yorkshire, with the baptism of John Stalker in 1582. Additionally, the Parish Registers of Ecclesfield, Yorkshire, documented the marriage of William Stalker and Elizabeth Roades in 1598.

One notable individual with the Stalker surname was Sir John Stalker (1556-1623), an English judge and Member of Parliament who served as a justice of the King's Bench during the reign of James I. Another prominent figure was Robert Stalker (1631-1681), a Scottish minister and writer who authored several religious works.

In the 18th century, the Stalker surname gained recognition through the life and work of John Stalker (1679-1739), an English clergyman and author who wrote extensively on theological and philosophical subjects. His most notable work, "A Treatise of the Illuminated Clock," explored the concept of time and its spiritual implications.

The 19th century saw the rise of James Stalker (1848-1927), a Scottish theologian and author who served as the professor of church history at the United Free Church College in Glasgow. His influential works, such as "The Life of Christ" and "The Life of St. Paul," contributed significantly to the study of biblical scholarship.

As the Stalker surname spread across the British Isles and beyond, it also appeared in various place names and localities. For example, Stalker Castle, a ruined fortification located on the Isle of Islay in Scotland, is believed to be derived from the Old Norse word "stallr," meaning a walking or stalking place.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Stalker

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!