Temkin last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Temkin

A surname of Russian or Ukrainian origin, possibly related to the Russian word "tëmny" meaning dark or obscure.

Temkin, 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 Temkin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Temkin in America

Temkin is the 36900th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Temkin surname appeared 605 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 Temkin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Temkin 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 36900 35797 3.03%
Count 605 593 2.00%
Proportion per 100k 0.21 0.22 -4.65%

The history of the last name Temkin

The surname TEMKIN is of Russian origin, with roots tracing back to the early 16th century. It is believed to have originated in the region of Moscow, derived from the Russian word "temny," meaning "dark" or "obscure." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive term for an individual with a darker complexion or a more reserved personality.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the TEMKIN surname can be found in the Velvet Book, a historical document compiled in the late 16th century, which listed noble families and their lineages. The name appears to have been associated with a minor noble family from the outskirts of Moscow.

During the 17th century, the TEMKIN surname gained recognition through the exploits of Ivan Temkin (1621-1683), a skilled military commander who served under Tsar Alexis I. Ivan Temkin played a pivotal role in the Russo-Polish War of 1654-1667, earning him a reputation as a formidable strategist and leader.

Another notable figure bearing the TEMKIN surname was Yekaterina Temkina (1738-1804), a renowned Russian opera singer who performed in the imperial theaters of St. Petersburg during the reign of Catherine the Great. Her exceptional vocal talents and stage presence earned her widespread acclaim throughout the Russian Empire.

In the 19th century, the TEMKIN surname was associated with the literary world through the works of Mikhail Temkin (1812-1875), a celebrated Russian poet and playwright. His collection of romantic verses and satirical plays earned him a place among the prominent literary figures of his time.

One of the most influential figures with the TEMKIN surname was Lev Temkin (1888-1967), a pioneering Russian physicist who made significant contributions to the field of theoretical chemistry. His groundbreaking work on the Temkin isotherm, a model used to describe adsorption phenomena, remains a fundamental concept in surface chemistry and catalysis.

Throughout its long history, the TEMKIN surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including military leaders, artists, writers, and scientists, each leaving their mark on the cultural and intellectual fabric of Russia and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Temkin

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

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 Temkin was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 93.72% 567
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.99% 6
Hispanic Origin 4.63% 28

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 Temkin has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 93.72% 92.75% 1.04%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races 0.99% 2.19% -75.47%
Hispanic 4.63% 4.22% 9.27%

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

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

Reference this page

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"Temkin last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/temkin-surname-popularity/.

"Temkin last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/temkin-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 December, 2024

Temkin last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/temkin-surname-popularity/.

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