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

Unkle, 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 Unkle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Unkle in America

Unkle is the 86981st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Unkle surname appeared 214 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 Unkle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Unkle 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 Unkle

The surname "UNKLE" is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "uncla," meaning "uncle." This name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who resembled or acted like an uncle.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a Walter Unkle is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the surname appears in various records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, which mentions a John Unkle. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 also include an entry for a Thomas Unkle.

During the Middle Ages, the surname was sometimes spelled as "Uncul" or "Unckle," reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation at the time. It is likely that the name was initially more common in the southern and central regions of England.

One notable individual bearing the surname was John Unkle, a merchant and alderman in the City of London during the late 16th century. He was born around 1540 and served as an alderman from 1587 until his death in 1609.

In the 17th century, the surname appears in various parish records and legal documents. For instance, the marriage record of William Unkle and Elizabeth Smith was recorded in St. Mary's Church, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, in 1632.

Another individual of note was Robert Unkle, a landowner and farmer who lived in Oxfordshire in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He was born in 1668 and died in 1732.

In the 19th century, one of the most prominent bearers of the surname was Sir Thomas Unkle (1795-1879), a British naval officer and explorer. He served in the Royal Navy and was renowned for his expeditions to the Arctic regions.

Another noteworthy figure was Elizabeth Unkle (1818-1897), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded several schools for girls in London and campaigned for equal educational opportunities for women.

Over the centuries, the surname "UNKLE" has been found across various regions of England, although it has remained relatively uncommon compared to other English surnames.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Unkle

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

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

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

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