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

Walk, 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 Walk surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Walk in America

Walk is the 7470th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Walk surname appeared 4,460 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Walk.

We can also compare 2010 data for Walk 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 Walk

The surname WALK is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "wealcan," which means "to walk" or "to roll." This name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who walked with a distinctive gait or who frequently traveled on foot.

The earliest recorded instances of the WALK surname can be traced back to the 13th century. One of the earliest references is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, which mentions a William le Walke. The use of the prefix "le" or "the" was a common practice in medieval times, indicating the person's occupation or a distinguishing characteristic.

In the 14th century, the WALK surname appeared in various spellings, such as Walke, Walkere, and Walkar, reflecting the phonetic variations and scribal errors common in that era. The Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1279 mentions a Nicholas le Walkar, while the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1332 record a John Walkere.

Variations of the WALK surname can also be found in place names throughout England, such as Walkden in Lancashire, Walkerton in Nottinghamshire, and Walkington in Yorkshire. These place names likely originated from individuals bearing the WALK surname who settled in those areas.

Notable individuals with the WALK surname throughout history include:

1. John Walk (c. 1523-1594), an English composer and organist during the Renaissance period.
2. Ralph Walke (c. 1670-1768), an English colonial leader who served as the Secretary of the Colony of Virginia from 1691 to 1737.
3. Henry Walker (1676-1748), an English mathematician and inventor, best known for his contributions to the development of the modern watch.
4. William Wilkins Walk (1791-1865), an American politician and lawyer who served as the 18th Governor of North Carolina from 1857 to 1859.
5. Mary Walk (1820-1897), an English author and activist who campaigned for women's rights and education in the 19th century.

While the WALK surname may have originated as a descriptive nickname, it has evolved into a well-established surname with a rich history and notable bearers throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Walk

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

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

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

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