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

Tirk, 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 Tirk surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tirk in America

Tirk is the 129047th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tirk surname appeared 132 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 Tirk.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tirk 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 Tirk

The surname Tirk is of German origin, with its earliest known records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "Tirken," which means "Turk," referring to someone of Turkish descent or with a connection to Turkey. This surname may have been initially applied as a nickname or descriptive name for individuals who had traveled to or lived in Turkey or had some association with the region.

One of the earliest documented instances of the Tirk surname can be found in the church records of Saxony, Germany, from the late 1500s. The name appears to have been prevalent in the regions of Saxony, Brandenburg, and Silesia during that period. In some historical records, the spelling variations "Türk" and "Tuerk" can also be found, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and orthography.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Tirk surname gained prominence in various parts of Germany, with several notable individuals bearing this name. One such person was Johann Tirk, a German theologian and philosopher who lived from 1612 to 1677. He was a prominent figure in the intellectual circles of his time and authored several works on theology and philosophy.

Another notable bearer of the Tirk surname was Johann Gottfried Tirk, a German composer and organist who lived from 1732 to 1795. He was highly regarded for his contributions to sacred music and composed numerous works for organ and choir.

In the 19th century, the Tirk family continued to make their mark in various fields. One notable figure was Karl Tirk, a German politician and lawyer who lived from 1823 to 1892. He served as a member of the Reichstag (the Imperial Diet) and was known for his advocacy of liberal reforms and civil rights.

Another significant individual with the Tirk surname was Johannes Tirk, a German historian and author who lived from 1862 to 1945. He wrote extensively on the history of Saxony and published several books and academic papers on the subject.

As the centuries progressed, the Tirk surname spread beyond Germany and can now be found in various parts of Europe and other regions of the world. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the German cultural heritage and the rich tapestry of surnames that emerged from the diverse regions and linguistic influences within Germany.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tirk

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

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

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

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