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

Valker, 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 Valker surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Valker in America

Valker is the 142819th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Valker surname appeared 107 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Valker.

The history of the last name Valker

The surname Valker has its roots in the region known today as the Netherlands, specifically from areas with Dutch and German influences dating back to the medieval period. The name is most likely derived from the Middle Dutch word "valker," meaning "falconer," indicative of someone who worked with falcons either for hunting or as a symbol of nobility and status. This profession was highly valued in medieval society, with falconers holding important roles in noble households.

In historical documents and manuscripts, variations of the surname Valker have appeared in different spellings, including Falkner, Falknerius, and Valck. One of the earliest recorded instances of a similar name can be found in a 13th-century manuscript where the name Johannes Falknerius appears, indicating a person possibly engaged in the profession of falconry.

Another recorded instance from the 14th century is Hubrecht de Valker, noted in records from the city of Utrecht. Hubrecht was known for his skills in training hunting birds, which made him quite renowned in his locality.

Moving into the 15th century, Willem Valker, born in 1420 and died in 1480, was documented in trade records from the city of Amsterdam. He was known not just as a falconer but also as a merchant, suggesting that his surname might have come to represent a family or lineage rather than just an occupation.

In the 16th century, a notable figure with the surname was Pieter Valker, who was born in 1502 and died in 1560. He served in the court of a Dutch noble family, again indicating the profession of falconry was held in high regard. Pieter’s expertise with birds of prey earned him a distinguished place in the annals of Dutch history.

Finally, in the 17th century, Elizabeth Valker, born in 1625 and passed away in 1670, appeared in London records, illustrating the spread of the surname beyond the Dutch borders into England. Elizabeth was known for her work in maintaining aviaries, a direct nod to the original origins of her surname.

Throughout history, the surname Valker has predominantly been associated with the esteemed profession of falconry, with its bearers often occupying important roles in society. The rich history of this surname reflects its deep roots in medieval occupations and regional cultural significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Valker

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

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 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Valker 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 Valker was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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