Explore the Family Name Jelks
The meaning of Jelks
English (Middlesex and Kent): from the Middle English personal name Gilke, Gelke, a shortened form of Gilkin, with genitival or post-medieval excrescent -s. Gilkin was a pet form of either the common female name Gillian or the less common male name Giles (see Gillian 1, Giles).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Jelks in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Jelks has seen a slight increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Jelks ranked 14,357 in terms of commonality, but by 2010 it had moved up to the 14,299th position, representing a change of 0.4%. The number of individuals carrying the Jelks surname also grew during this period, from 1,912 in 2000 to 2,093 in 2010, marking a 9.47% increase. Despite these changes, the proportion of the Jelks surname per 100,000 people remained constant at 0.71.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,357 | #14,299 | 0.4% |
| Count | 1,912 | 2,093 | 9.47% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.71 | 0.71 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Jelks
When considering ethnicity, data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows that the majority of those with the surname Jelks identify as Black, making up 80.27% of the total in 2010, a slight increase from 79.55% in 2000. There has been a rise in the number of individuals identifying as Hispanic, from 1.26% in 2000 to 2.05% in 2010, marking a significant increase of 62.7%. Those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native have also increased, albeit from a small base, rising by 38.71% to make up 0.43% of the total. However, there was a decrease in those identifying as White, from 16.27% to 14.19%, and Asian/Pacific Islander, from 0.47% to 0.33%. The multi-ethnic group (those identifying as two or more races) saw a 27.1% increase, accounting for 2.72% of all Jelks in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 79.55% | 80.27% | 0.91% |
| White | 16.27% | 14.19% | -12.78% |
| Two or More Races | 2.14% | 2.72% | 27.1% |
| Hispanic | 1.26% | 2.05% | 62.7% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.31% | 0.43% | 38.71% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.47% | 0.33% | -29.79% |