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

VanKirk, 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 VanKirk surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of VanKirk in America

VanKirk is the 10462nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The VanKirk surname appeared 3,073 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname VanKirk.

We can also compare 2010 data for VanKirk 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 VanKirk

The surname VANKIRK has its origins in the Netherlands, dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Dutch words "van" meaning "from" and "kerk" meaning "church," suggesting that the name may have referred to someone who lived near a church or worked in a church-related occupation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the VANKIRK surname can be found in the Dutch Reformed Church records from the town of Leiden in the 1600s. The name appears to have been particularly prominent in the provinces of Holland and Utrecht during this time period.

In the 17th century, the VANKIRK surname began to spread beyond the Netherlands as Dutch settlers migrated to other parts of Europe and the Americas. One notable early bearer of the name was Pieter VANKIRK (1630-1689), a Dutch merchant who established a trading post in what is now New York City.

As the name traveled across the Atlantic, it evolved into various spelling variations, including VANKIRK, VAN KIRK, and VAN KERK. These different spellings can be found in historical records from the colonial era in the United States.

One notable American bearer of the VANKIRK surname was James VANKIRK (1733-1810), a Revolutionary War soldier from Pennsylvania. Another was John VANKIRK (1775-1845), a prominent businessman and landowner in Ohio in the early 19th century.

In the United Kingdom, the VANKIRK name can be traced back to the late 18th century, when Dutch immigrants brought the surname to England and Scotland. One early British bearer was William VANKIRK (1792-1868), a Scottish architect who designed several notable buildings in Glasgow.

Other notable individuals with the VANKIRK surname throughout history include:

1. Evert VANKIRK (1662-1734), a Dutch colonist and landowner in New Amsterdam (now New York City).
2. Hendrick VANKIRK (1710-1778), a Dutch-American farmer and militia captain during the French and Indian War.
3. Robert VANKIRK (1813-1891), an American politician and judge in Illinois.
4. Alice VANKIRK (1857-1932), an American artist and writer known for her landscapes and children's books.
5. Maurice VANKIRK (1885-1967), a Dutch-American architect who designed several notable buildings in New York City.

While the VANKIRK surname has its roots in the Netherlands, it has since become a global name, with bearers found in various countries around the world. The name's connection to the Dutch words "van" and "kerk" has helped preserve its unique identity and rich history over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name VanKirk

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

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

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

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