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

Volk, 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 Volk surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Volk in America

Volk is the 3888th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Volk surname appeared 9,126 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Volk.

We can also compare 2010 data for Volk 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 Volk

The surname Volk is of German and Dutch origin, derived from the German and Dutch word "volk" meaning "people" or "folk." The name likely originated as a descriptive surname referring to someone who was associated with the common people or was a representative of the people.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Volk date back to the 13th century in various regions of present-day Germany and the Netherlands. It was particularly prevalent in areas like Saxony, Hesse, and the Rhineland.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Volk was Heinrich Volk, a merchant from Lübeck, Germany, who lived in the late 13th century. Another early record is from the city of Nuremberg in 1305, mentioning a person named Konrad Volk.

In the Netherlands, the surname can be traced back to the 14th century with records from places like Utrecht and Amsterdam. A notable bearer of the name was Pieter Volk, a prominent merchant from Amsterdam who lived in the late 15th century.

Throughout history, the surname Volk has been associated with various professions and social classes. In addition to merchants, it was borne by farmers, artisans, and even members of the nobility. One example is Johannes Volk, a German noble who lived in the 16th century and owned lands in the region of Saxony.

Another notable individual with the surname Volk was Christian Volk, a German composer and organist who lived from 1597 to 1661. He was known for his contributions to the development of the Protestant church music during the Baroque period.

In the 19th century, the surname Volk was also carried by several scholars and intellectuals, such as the German philologist and folklorist Johann Wilhelm Volk (1798-1868), who made significant contributions to the study of German folk literature and culture.

While the surname Volk has its roots in Germany and the Netherlands, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and immigration. However, the name's origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the Germanic cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Volk

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

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

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

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