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

Younk, 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 Younk surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Younk in America

Younk is the 70833rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Younk surname appeared 276 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 Younk.

We can also compare 2010 data for Younk 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 Younk

The surname Younk has its origins in Central Europe, most likely in the German-speaking regions during the medieval period. Variations of the name have adapted and evolved over centuries. Early forms of this surname can be found in records as Junck or Jungk, deriving from the Middle High German word junc, which means young. This terminology often referred to a younger person within a community or a young servant.

There are historical references to variations of this surname in medieval manuscripts. For instance, the name appears in the tax rolls and municipal records of the 15th century in German-speaking regions. One of the earliest documented instances is an individual named Heinrich Junck, found in records from the city of Nuremberg dated 1480.

The name slowly spread through neighboring regions as people moved and settled in different areas. Records from the 16th century in Austria mention a prominent family named Jungk who were involved in local trade and commerce. In 1555, Johann Jungk is documented as a notable merchant in Vienna, significantly contributing to the local economy.

Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, variations of the surname began to appear more frequently in other parts of Europe, including Switzerland and parts of Poland. In Bern, Switzerland, a manuscript from 1623 mentions a magistrate named Ulrich Jungk, who played a pivotal role in the local civic administration.

The surname also appears in American historical records in the 19th century. German immigrants brought the name Younk to the United States. One renowned person was Friedrich Younk, who emigrated to New York in 1853 and later established a successful publishing business in Chicago. His work in the Chicago Tribune contributed significantly to the local German-speaking community until his death in 1893.

Towards the end of the 19th century, variations of the surname spread to other English-speaking countries, including Canada and Australia. In Australia, Albert Younk, born in 1867 in Melbourne, became known for his contributions to the agricultural industry, particularly in dairy farming innovations.

The surname Younk, with its origins deeply rooted in medieval Europe, indicates a young person or someone with youthful characteristics. Through centuries, the name has evolved and adapted to various regions, maintaining its historical essence while integrating into different cultural backgrounds.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Younk

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

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

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

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