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

Volkert, 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 Volkert surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Volkert in America

Volkert is the 17673rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Volkert surname appeared 1,588 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 Volkert.

We can also compare 2010 data for Volkert 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 Volkert

The surname Volkert has its origins in the Germanic language group, specifically from the Old German word "folchart" which translates to "people brave" or "people hardy". This name first appeared in the region that is now modern-day Germany and the Netherlands during the 8th century AD.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Volkert can be found in medieval records and manuscripts from the Holy Roman Empire. One notable example is a reference to a landowner named Volkert von Mainz in a document from 1189 detailing a dispute over land rights near the town of Bingen am Rhein.

Throughout the Middle Ages, variations of the name such as Folchart, Folchardt, and Volkhart were commonly used in areas like Saxony, Bavaria, and the Rhineland. The name was often associated with noble families and landowners in these regions.

By the 16th century, the spelling had evolved closer to the modern form of Volkert. In 1541, a merchant named Hans Volkert is recorded as having traveled from Hamburg to Amsterdam on trade business. Around this time, the name also began appearing in records from the Netherlands, particularly in the provinces of Friesland and Groningen.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Volkert was Johann Volkert (1619-1693), a German composer and organist who served at the court of Saxe-Weissenfels. Another was Pieter Volkert (1677-1747), a Dutch painter known for his landscapes and seascapes.

In the 18th century, a soldier named Friedrich Volkert (1721-1796) fought in the Prussian army during the Seven Years' War and later settled in the town of Köpenick, near Berlin. His descendants continued using the surname in that region.

Moving into the 19th century, Johann Volkert (1815-1892) was a German mathematician and professor at the University of Halle. Around the same time, Dirk Volkert (1830-1908) was a Dutch politician who served as the mayor of Groningen from 1875 to 1901.

As the surname spread across Europe over the centuries, it retained its strong associations with German and Dutch culture and heritage. While not among the most common surnames, Volkert has left its mark through the accomplishments of various individuals throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Volkert

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

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

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

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