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

Volker, 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 Volker surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Volker in America

Volker is the 12540th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Volker surname appeared 2,471 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 Volker.

We can also compare 2010 data for Volker 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 Volker

The surname Volker is of German origin, with its roots traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "volk," which means "people" or "nation." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who was part of a particular ethnic or cultural group.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Volker can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Anhaltinus, a collection of historical documents from the former German principality of Anhalt, dating back to the 13th century. The name is also mentioned in various medieval records and chronicles from regions such as Saxony and Thuringia.

During the Middle Ages, the name Volker was often associated with place names or locations. For instance, there are references to individuals hailing from places like Volkershausen, a village in the German state of Thuringia, and Volkmarsen, a town in the state of Hesse.

One notable bearer of the surname Volker was Johann Volker, a German theologian and reformer who lived from 1498 to 1561. He played a significant role in the Reformation movement and was known for his writings on Protestant theology.

Another prominent figure with the surname Volker was Georg Volker, a German painter and engraver who lived from 1615 to 1693. He was renowned for his religious and historical paintings, as well as his engravings of landscapes and architectural works.

In the 18th century, Friedrich Volker, a German philosopher and writer, made a name for himself with his works on ethics and moral philosophy. He was born in 1733 and died in 1805.

Moving into the 19th century, Karl Volker, a German botanist and explorer, gained recognition for his expeditions to South America and his contributions to the study of plant life. He lived from 1803 to 1867.

Another notable figure from this period was Wilhelm Volker, a German composer and music theorist who lived from 1835 to 1909. He was known for his compositions for piano and his writings on music theory and harmony.

Overall, the surname Volker has a rich history rooted in German culture and traditions, with various notable individuals bearing this name throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Volker

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

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

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

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