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

Urke, 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 Urke surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Urke in America

Urke is the 153769th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Urke surname appeared 106 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 Urke.

The history of the last name Urke

The surname URKE has its origins traced back to the German region, particularly in areas close to the Rhine River. The name is believed to have derived from the Old German word "urk," which meant a container or vessel. This suggests that the early bearers of this surname may have been associated with occupations related to pottery, ceramics, or container-making.

Historically, the name URKE can be found in several ancient records and manuscripts from the medieval period. One notable reference is found in the Liber Censualis, a tax register compiled in the 13th century, which lists an individual named Henricus Urke residing in the town of Mainz.

The earliest recorded example of the URKE surname dates back to the 14th century, when a certain Johannes Urke was mentioned in the church records of the city of Cologne in the year 1375. In the same century, another individual named Gerhard Urke was documented in the municipal archives of the town of Aachen, located in the western part of Germany.

During the 16th century, the name URKE appeared in various parts of Germany, with slight variations in spelling, such as Urck and Urcke. One notable individual from this period was Hans Urke, a merchant from the city of Bremen, who was born in 1532 and died in 1598.

In the 17th century, the URKE surname gained prominence in the region of Saxony, where a family of nobility bore this name. One of the most notable figures from this lineage was Friedrich von Urke, a military commander who served in the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) and was born in 1597 and died in 1662.

Another notable bearer of the URKE surname was Johann Urke, a renowned scholar and theologian from the city of Leipzig, who lived between 1671 and 1743. He made significant contributions to the field of Protestant theology and authored several influential works during his lifetime.

As the surname spread across various regions of Germany, it also found its way into other parts of Europe, particularly in neighboring countries like the Netherlands and Belgium, where variations like Urken and Urkens were commonly used.

Throughout its history, the URKE surname has been associated with individuals from diverse professions and backgrounds, including artisans, merchants, scholars, military personnel, and nobility, reflecting the rich tapestry of German culture and society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Urke

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

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 Urke 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.

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

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

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