2000
#12,112
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,361
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.88
Rare Last name
Vanslyke
Derived from the Dutch "van Slijck," referring to someone who lived near a ditch, watercourse, or sluice.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,671 Americans carry the last name Vanslyke. That puts it at #12,661 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.78 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 128,324 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Vanslyke 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
2.7K
1 in 128,324
Census rank
#12,661
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,329 bearers of the surname Vanslyke in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.78 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12661st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Vanslyke, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.3%) and Hispanic (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Vanslyke
The surname VANSLYKE has its origins in the Low Countries, specifically in the Dutch-speaking regions of the Netherlands and Belgium. It emerged during the Middle Ages, possibly as early as the 12th century. The name is derived from the Dutch words "van" meaning "from" and "slijk" or "slyk," referring to mud or sludge. This suggests that the name may have originated as a descriptive term for someone who lived near or worked in a muddy area or marsh.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the municipal records of the city of Leiden in the Netherlands, dating back to the 15th century. The name appeared in various spellings, including "Van Slyke," "Van Slycke," and "Van Slycken." These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and variations in spelling conventions during that time period.
The name VANSLYKE is also associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One prominent figure was Pieter Jansz van Slyke, a Dutch merchant and ship owner who lived in the 16th century. He played a significant role in the establishment of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and the exploration of trade routes to the East Indies.
Another notable VANSLYKE was Jan van Slyke, a Dutch military officer who served in the Eighty Years' War against Spain in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He participated in several key battles and was known for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.
In the 18th century, there was a family of VAN SLYKEs who settled in the Mohawk Valley region of New York, having emigrated from the Netherlands. One member of this family, Harmanus Van Slyke, was a prominent landowner and farmer in the area. His descendants played an active role in the local community and politics.
Another notable figure was Gerrit van Slyke, a Dutch painter from the 17th century, known for his landscape paintings and depictions of rural life in the Netherlands. His works can be found in various art museums and collections across Europe.
The surname VANSLYKE also appears in historical records and manuscripts related to Dutch settlements and colonies in other parts of the world, such as the Dutch East Indies (present-day Indonesia) and the Dutch West Indies (Caribbean region). These records provide insights into the migration patterns and activities of individuals bearing this name during the era of Dutch colonial expansion.
Overall, the surname VANSLYKE has a rich history rooted in the Low Countries, with a possible origin as a descriptive term related to muddy or marshy areas. It has been carried by notable individuals in various fields, including commerce, military, art, and local governance, reflecting the diverse contributions of those who bore this name throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Vanslyke
Among Census respondents with the surname Vanslyke, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.3%) and Hispanic (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Vanslyke 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 Vanslyke surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.2% · 2,054
- Two or more races4.3% · 101
- Hispanic or Latino4.0% · 92
- Black or African American2.0% · 46
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 22
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 14
Timeline
Historical Census data for Vanslyke
Vanslyke appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#12,827
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,403
+42 bearers (+1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.81
Rank movement Down 715 places
2020
#12,661
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,329
-74 bearers (-3.1%)
Per 100,000 0.78
Rank movement Up 166 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,112 | 2,361 | 0.88 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,827 | 2,403 | 0.81 | +42 bearers (+1.8%) | Down 715 places |
| 2020 | #12,661 | 2,329 | 0.78 | -74 bearers (-3.1%) | Up 166 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 Vanslyke 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 | #12,827 | #12,661 | 1.3% |
| Count | 2,403 | 2,329 | -3.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.81 | 0.78 | -3.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Vanslyke bearers went from 2,403 to 2,329 (-3.1% change). The surname moved up 166 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,827 to #12,661.
FAQ
Vanslyke surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Vanslyke?
Name Census estimates that about 2,671 living Americans carry the surname Vanslyke. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 128,324 residents.
How common is Vanslyke?
Vanslyke ranks #12,661 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.78 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,329 people with the surname Vanslyke. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,671), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.78 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.78 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Vanslyke.
Has Vanslyke become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Vanslyke went from 2,403 recorded bearers to 2,329. That is a decrease of 74 (-3.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #12,827 to #12,661.
What does the Census say about the background of Vanslyke?
Among Census respondents with the surname Vanslyke, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.3%) and Hispanic (4.0%). 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 Vanslyke in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.2% (2,054 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Vanslyke appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.2%), Two or More Races (4.3%), Hispanic (4.0%). 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 Vanslyke (2000, 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 Vanslyke mean?
Derived from the Dutch "van Slijck," referring to someone who lived near a ditch, watercourse, or sluice. 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 Vanslyke (0.78 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 Vanslyke?
You can see how many people are called Vanslyke on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.