Explore the Family Name Kelker
The meaning of Kelker
German: occupational name for a house painter (specifically, someone who applied lime wash), from an agent derivative of Middle High German kelken ‘to whitewash, to lime’. Alternatively, it may be an occupational name for a lime burner (see Kalkbrenner).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Kelker in the United States?
The surname Kelker experienced a slight decrease in popularity, as indicated by data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, it was ranked 53,299th in popularity, but by 2010 it had dropped to the 55,121st position, a change of -3.42%. However, the count of people with this surname marginally increased from 364 in 2000 to 373 in 2010, an increase of 2.47%. The proportion per 100,000 people remained steady at 0.13.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #53,299 | #55,121 | -3.42% |
| Count | 364 | 373 | 2.47% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Kelker
Regarding ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows some shifts for the Kelker surname between 2000 and 2010. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased from 2.20% to 2.41%, while those identifying as Black saw an increase from 32.14% to 34.85%. Meanwhile, the percentage of those identifying as White decreased from 62.64% to 57.64%. Notably, there was no representation under the American Indian and Alaskan Native category in either year, and the 'Two or more races' category disappeared altogether in 2010. Interestingly, Hispanic representation emerged in 2010, accounting for 2.68% of the Kelkers.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 62.64% | 57.64% | -7.98% |
| Black | 32.14% | 34.85% | 8.43% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 2.68% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 2.2% | 2.41% | 9.55% |
| Two or More Races | 1.92% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |