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

Unick, 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 Unick surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Unick in America

Unick is the 71678th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Unick surname appeared 272 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 Unick.

We can also compare 2010 data for Unick 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 Unick

The surname Unick originated in Germany, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to derive from the German word "unecht," meaning "illegitimate" or "bastard." This suggests the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname for someone born out of wedlock.

One of the earliest known references to the name is found in a 1587 document from the town of Nürnberg, which mentions a Hans Unick who worked as a blacksmith. There are also records of an Anna Unick who lived in the village of Rödersheim in the 1600s.

In the 18th century, the name appears to have spread to other parts of Germany and neighboring regions. A Sebastian Unick (1722-1798) from the town of Freiburg im Breisgau is noted for his work as a clockmaker and inventor.

As the name spread, variations in spelling emerged, including Unick, Unnick, and Unnig. These different spellings can be found in various historical records and documents from the 17th to 19th centuries.

One notable figure with the surname was Johann Unick (1802-1879), a German philosopher and author who wrote extensively on ethics and moral philosophy. His works include "Grundlagen der Ethik" (Foundations of Ethics) and "Die Moral der Gesellschaft" (The Morality of Society).

Another person of note was Maria Unick (1856-1932), a German artist and painter who specialized in portraiture and landscapes. She studied at the prestigious Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Munich and exhibited her work throughout Europe.

In the late 19th century, the name also made its way to the United States, likely through German immigration. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Karl Unick (1868-1945), who settled in New York City and worked as a tailor.

While not as common as some other German surnames, the Unick name has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including artisans, scholars, and artists.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Unick

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

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

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

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