2010
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Unks
A spelling variant of the German surname Unks, of uncertain meaning.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Unks. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Unks surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Unks in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Unks, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Black (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Unks
The surname UNKS has its origins in the Anglicized version of the German name Unks, which is believed to have originated in the northern regions of Germany, particularly in the areas around Hamburg and Lower Saxony. The name is thought to have derived from the Old German word "unk," which means "unknown" or "stranger."
The earliest recorded instances of the name UNKS can be traced back to the 16th century, where it appeared in various municipal records and church registers in the northern German states. One notable example is Johann Unks, a merchant and landowner from Bremen who was mentioned in a land deed from 1587.
As the name spread across Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Uncks, Unckx, and Unkx, reflecting regional dialects and linguistic influences. In the 17th century, the name made its way to England, where it was further anglicized to UNKS.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname UNKS in England was Thomas Unks, born in 1642 in the village of Coleshill, Warwickshire. He was a farmer and landowner, and his descendants continued to live in the region for several generations.
Another notable figure was Sir William Unks (1715-1789), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. He was known for his bravery and leadership in several naval battles, including the Battle of Quiberon Bay in 1759.
In the 19th century, the name UNKS gained prominence in the United States, with several individuals leaving their mark on various fields. One such person was James Unks (1822-1896), a prominent lawyer and politician from Ohio who served as a judge and later as a member of the United States House of Representatives.
Another notable American with the surname UNKS was Emily Unks (1876-1958), an educator and activist who played a significant role in the women's suffrage movement and the fight for equal rights. She founded the Unks School for Girls in Philadelphia, which became a pioneering institution in women's education.
The UNKS surname has also been associated with several notable figures in the arts and literature. One such individual was the British author and poet, Robert Unks (1903-1981), whose works explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition. His most famous work, "The Orchard Keeper," is considered a classic of 20th-century literature.
Over the centuries, the surname UNKS has maintained its presence across various parts of the world, reflecting the migrations and dispersions of families bearing this name. While its origins may be rooted in the northern regions of Germany, the name has become a part of the cultural tapestry of many nations, each adding its own unique chapter to the rich history of this surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Unks
Among Census respondents with the surname Unks, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Black (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Unks bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Unks surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.6% · 98
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 3
- Black or African American1.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Unks
Unks appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
+2 bearers (+1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,268 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.9%) | Up 3,268 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Unks surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #154,907 | #151,639 | 2.1% |
| Count | 105 | 107 | 1.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Unks bearers went from 105 to 107 (+1.9% change). The surname moved up 3,268 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #151,639.
FAQ
Unks surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Unks?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Unks. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Unks?
Unks ranks #151,639 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 107 people with the surname Unks. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Unks.
Has Unks become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Unks went from 105 recorded bearers to 107. That is an increase of 2 (+1.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Unks?
Among Census respondents with the surname Unks, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Black (1.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Unks in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.6% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Unks appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.6%), Hispanic (2.8%), Black (1.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Unks (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Unks mean?
A spelling variant of the German surname Unks, of uncertain meaning. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Unks (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Unks?
If you just want to know how many people have the surname Unks, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.