Explore the Family Name Palk
The meaning of Palk
English (Devon): shortened form of Pollock, with unrounding of the vowel to give Palk. Compare Polk and also Pulford. Derivation from a shortened form of the Middle English personal names Palcok and Palkin (pet forms of Paul) is formally possible, but no evidence has been found to substantiate this.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Palk in the United States?
The surname Palk, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data, has seen a slight decrease in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Palk ranked 61,855 in terms of popularity but by 2010, it had fallen to 65,782, marking a 6.35% decrease. The count of individuals with this surname also experienced a slight dip, falling from 303 in 2000 to 301 in 2010, a drop of 0.66%. Consequently, the proportion of Palks per 100k people decreased by 9.09%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #61,855 | #65,782 | -6.35% |
| Count | 303 | 301 | -0.66% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.11 | 0.1 | -9.09% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Palk
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that those carrying the Palk surname exhibited a notable shift over the decade. In 2000, the majority identified as White (72.28%), followed by Asian/Pacific Islander (23.10%) and Black (2.64%). However, by 2010, while the majority still identified as White (64.45%), there was a significant increase in those identifying as Two or more races, rising from 1.65% to 6.98%, an increase of 323.03%. Meanwhile, the percent of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander slightly increased to 23.59% and those who identified as Black decreased to 1.99%. No respondents identified as Hispanic or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either census year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 72.28% | 64.45% | -10.83% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 23.1% | 23.59% | 2.12% |
| Two or More Races | 1.65% | 6.98% | 323.03% |
| Black | 2.64% | 1.99% | -24.62% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |