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

Tark, 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 Tark surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tark in America

Tark is the 137327th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tark surname appeared 122 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Tark.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tark 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 Tark

The surname TARK is of German and Dutch origin, tracing its roots back to the 13th century. The name is believed to have derived from the Middle Low German word "tark," which means "strong" or "robust." It was likely originally a nickname given to someone with a sturdy build or a forceful personality.

In the medieval era, the name TARK was predominantly found in the regions of northern Germany and the Netherlands. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in a 1297 document from the town of Lübeck, which mentions a certain "Theodoricus Tark."

As surnames became more widespread in the 14th and 15th centuries, the TARK name began to spread across different parts of Germany and the Low Countries. Variations in spelling, such as Tark, Tarkk, and Tarck, were common due to inconsistencies in record-keeping at the time.

Some notable historical figures bearing the TARK surname include Johann Tark (1563-1628), a German theologian and author from Saxony, and Pieter Tark (1616-1679), a Dutch painter and engraver from Amsterdam.

In the 17th century, the name also found its way to England, possibly carried by German or Dutch immigrants. One of the earliest recorded instances in England is that of William Tark, who was born in London in 1642.

Other notable individuals with the TARK surname include Hans Tark (1799-1875), a German composer and musician from Hannover, and Eliza Tark (1836-1912), an English author and philanthropist from Yorkshire.

Throughout the 19th century, the TARK name continued to be found across various parts of Europe, particularly in Germany, the Netherlands, and England. As people migrated to other parts of the world, the name spread further, though it remained relatively uncommon compared to other surnames.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tark

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

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

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

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