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

Starke, 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 Starke surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Starke in America

Starke is the 9813th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Starke surname appeared 3,299 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 Starke.

We can also compare 2010 data for Starke 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 Starke

The surname Starke has its origins in Germany and dates back to the medieval era. It is derived from the Old High German word "starc," which means "strong" or "sturdy." This suggests that the name was likely originally given as a descriptive nickname to someone with a robust or powerful physique.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Starke can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of medieval documents from Saxony, dating back to the 13th century. The name appears in various forms, such as "Starke," "Starcke," and "Sterk," reflecting regional variations in spelling and pronunciation.

During the 14th century, the Starke name was associated with several notable individuals. For instance, Hans Starke (c. 1320-1390) was a renowned architect and stonemason who oversaw the construction of several churches and castles in the region of Saxony.

In the 15th century, the Starke family gained prominence in the city of Lübeck, a prominent member of the Hanseatic League. Johann Starke (c. 1425-1489) was a respected merchant and councillor who played a significant role in the city's trade and governance.

The 16th century saw the rise of Martin Starke (1522-1589), a Lutheran theologian and reformer who studied under Martin Luther and was influential in the spread of the Protestant Reformation in northern Germany.

Moving into the 17th century, the name Starke appears in various historical records, including the chronicles of the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648). One notable figure from this period was General Friedrich Starke (1594-1656), a military commander who fought for the Swedish forces during the conflict.

In the 18th century, the Starke name gained literary prominence with the works of Johann Georg Starke (1721-1785), a German poet and author who wrote several plays and satires that were popular in his time.

As the centuries progressed, the Starke surname continued to be associated with individuals from various walks of life, including artists, scholars, and statesmen. However, it is important to note that these historical references are not exhaustive, and the Starke name has likely been borne by numerous other notable individuals throughout its long history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Starke

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

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

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

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