Explore the Family Name Selkirk
The meaning of Selkirk
Scottish: habitational name from Selkirk (Selkirkshire), from Old English sele ‘dwelling, hall’ + cirice ‘church’ (with influence from Old Norse kirkja ‘church’). History: Alexander Selkirk (1676–1721), the Scottish sailor who was the model for the fictional Robinson Crusoe, was also known as Selcraig. He was born in Largo, Fife, the son of a shoemaker. Some characteristic forenames: Scottish Alastair.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Selkirk in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Selkirk saw a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 46,331st most popular surname, but by 2010, it had dropped to the 47,614th spot. This represents a change of -2.77%. However, the count of people with this surname has increased from 433 in 2000 to 445 in 2010, showing an increase of 2.77%. The proportion per 100,000 people also decreased slightly from 0.16 in 2000 to 0.15 in 2010, signifying a -6.25% change.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #46,331 | #47,614 | -2.77% |
| Count | 433 | 445 | 2.77% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.16 | 0.15 | -6.25% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Selkirk
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census reveals that the majority of individuals with the Selkirk surname identify as White, with this group increasing from 90.53% in 2000 to 92.13% in 2010. The percentage of those identifying as Black decreased from 4.85% in 2000 to 3.15% in 2010, representing a significant -35.05% shift. There was a marked decrease in the number of individuals identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native from 2.77% in 2000 to 1.57% in 2010. Interestingly, those identifying as belonging to two or more races appeared for the first time in 2010 at 1.35%. Data for Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic ethnic identities remained suppressed or at zero for both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 90.53% | 92.13% | 1.77% |
| Black | 4.85% | 3.15% | -35.05% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 2.77% | 1.57% | -43.32% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 1.35% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 0% | 0% |