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

Virkler, 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 Virkler surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Virkler in America

Virkler is the 55841st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Virkler surname appeared 367 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 Virkler.

We can also compare 2010 data for Virkler 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 Virkler

The surname Virkler originated in Germany in the late 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Low German word "vurken" or "vurker," which meant "fork" or "pitchfork." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to an occupation, possibly a farmer or someone who worked with pitchforks or other agricultural tools.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Virkler can be found in the village of Ostbevern, located in the present-day state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The name appeared in church records dating back to the late 1500s, with several variations in spelling, including "Vurker," "Vorker," and "Virker."

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Virkler family spread across various regions of Germany, with some members migrating to neighboring countries such as the Netherlands and Switzerland. In the mid-1700s, a branch of the Virkler family settled in the town of Solingen, a renowned center for the production of swords and cutlery. This connection may have strengthened the association between the name and metal-working occupations.

One notable figure bearing the Virkler name was Johann Virkler (1685-1753), a master blacksmith from Solingen who gained recognition for his exceptional craftsmanship in creating swords and knives. His works were highly sought after by nobility and military leaders throughout Europe.

In the 19th century, several Virkler families immigrated to the United States, settling primarily in the state of New York. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in America was that of Wilhelm Virkler (1802-1879), who arrived in New York City from the German state of Hesse in 1825. He later became a successful farmer and landowner in the Mohawk Valley region.

Another prominent figure was Henry Virkler (1842-1918), a Union Army veteran who fought in several major battles during the American Civil War, including Gettysburg and the Wilderness Campaign. After the war, he returned to his hometown of Herkimer, New York, where he served as a respected civic leader and businessman.

Throughout the 20th century, the Virkler name continued to be represented in various fields, including academia, politics, and the arts. One notable example is Robert Virkler (1924-2018), a distinguished professor of psychology at Baruch College in New York City, who made significant contributions to the study of human behavior and personality development.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Virkler

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!