Explore the Family Name Goerke
The meaning of Goerke
German (also Görke): 1. variant of Gerke. 2. from a Slavic-influenced pet form of the personal name Georg (see George). 3. habitational name from any of several places in Pomerania so called, from Slavic gora ‘mountain, hill’. Some characteristic forenames: German Reinhardt, Benno, Bernhard, Dieter, Fritz, Gerhard, Guenter, Hans, Heinz, Kurt, Siegfried, Ulrich.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Goerke in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Goerke has seen a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname was ranked at 31,621 but this dropped to 34,707 by 2010, marking a negative change of approximately 9.76%. The count of individuals with this surname also fell from 691 to 651 during the same period, representing a decline of about 5.79%. Similarly, the proportion per 100,000 people decreased from 0.26 to 0.22, a 15.38% decrease.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #31,621 | #34,707 | -9.76% |
| Count | 691 | 651 | -5.79% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.26 | 0.22 | -15.38% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Goerke
The ethnicity associated with the surname Goerke also saw some changes between 2000 and 2010, based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census. Most notably, the percentage of Goerkes identifying as Hispanic increased substantially by 80%, from 1.45% to 2.61%. However, those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander slightly decreased from 0.87% to 0.77%, a change of about -11.49%. The percentage of White Goerkes also dropped slightly from 97.54% to 95.55%, a 2.04% decrease. Interestingly, the 2010 census saw Goerkes identifying as belonging to two or more ethnicities, something that wasn't recorded in 2000. There were no registered changes within the Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native categories.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.54% | 95.55% | -2.04% |
| Hispanic | 1.45% | 2.61% | 80% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.87% | 0.77% | -11.49% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0.77% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |