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

Starks, 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 Starks surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Starks in America

Starks is the 1782nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Starks surname appeared 20,130 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Starks.

We can also compare 2010 data for Starks 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 Starks

The surname Starks is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "storc" or "stearc," meaning "strong" or "rigid." It is believed to have first emerged in the regions of Yorkshire and Lancashire in northern England during the medieval period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Starks can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Starca" and is associated with landowners in the county of Yorkshire.

In the 13th century, the surname Starks was also found in various legal and administrative documents, such as the Pipe Rolls and the Hundred Rolls. These records provide insights into the lives and activities of individuals bearing the name during that time.

The surname Starks has been linked to several notable figures throughout history. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was John Starks, a merchant and alderman who lived in the city of York in the 14th century (born around 1320).

Another prominent figure was Sir Thomas Starks, a distinguished English soldier who fought in the Wars of the Roses during the 15th century (born circa 1430). He was knighted for his bravery on the battlefield and is mentioned in historical accounts of the conflict.

In the 16th century, the name Starks was also associated with various places, such as Starks Hill in Somerset and Starks Wood in Hertfordshire. These place names may have derived from individuals bearing the surname who owned or lived in these areas.

During the 17th century, the Starks surname was found among the early settlers in the British colonies in North America. One notable individual was William Starks, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 and became a prominent landowner and farmer.

Another notable figure was Robert Starks, a Puritan minister and scholar who lived in Massachusetts in the late 17th century (born around 1650). He was known for his influential sermons and writings on religious topics.

As the surname Starks spread across different regions and countries, various spelling variations emerged, including Starke, Stark, and Starkey. These variations reflect the influence of local dialects and the evolution of the English language over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Starks

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

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

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

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