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

Unk, 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 Unk surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Unk in America

Unk is the 68345th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Unk surname appeared 288 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 Unk.

We can also compare 2010 data for Unk 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 Unk

The surname "UNK" is believed to have originated in medieval England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. Linguists suggest that it is derived from the Old English word "unc," which translates to "unknown" or "unfamiliar." This could indicate that the name was initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone whose origins or identity were obscure or uncertain.

One of the earliest documented individuals bearing this surname was Richard UNK, who was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273. These rolls were a census-like survey conducted during the reign of King Edward I, providing valuable insights into the population and landholdings of the time.

By the 14th century, the name had spread across various regions of England, as evidenced by records such as the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, which listed a John UNK in 1379. The surname also appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire in 1327, with the entry of William UNK.

During the Tudor period, the UNK surname gained prominence with the rise of a notable family in Derbyshire. Sir Robert UNK, born in 1510, was a prominent landowner and served as a member of parliament for the county. His descendants continued to play influential roles in local politics and society throughout the 16th and 17th centuries.

Another notable figure was Elizabeth UNK, a renowned author and poet who lived in the late 16th century. Her work, "The Soliloquies of a Soulful Wanderer," published in 1592, garnered critical acclaim and provided a glimpse into the intellectual and literary circles of Elizabethan England.

In the 18th century, the UNK surname made its mark in the field of science with the birth of James UNK (1725-1798), a pioneering botanist and naturalist. His extensive studies on the flora of the British Isles contributed significantly to the advancement of plant taxonomy and classification.

As the surname spread across the British Isles, it also found its way to other parts of the world through migration and colonization. One notable example is Thomas UNK (1790-1856), a British explorer and adventurer who documented his travels in the Canadian wilderness and the American West in his memoirs, "Journeys Through the Untamed Lands."

While the origins of the UNK surname may have been humble and obscure, its bearers have left an indelible mark on various aspects of history, from politics and literature to science and exploration, carrying forth a legacy that spans centuries and continents.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Unk

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

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

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

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