Explore the Family Name Welk
The meaning of Welk
1. German: variant of Welge 2. 2. German: nickname from Middle High German welc ‘soft, mild’. 3. Sorbian (Ẃelk): nickname from Lower Sorbian ẃelk ‘wolf’. This is also a Germanized form of the Upper Sorbian cognate Wjelk. 4. Sorbian (Ẃelk): from a Lower Sorbian pet form of a personal name, such as Old Sorbian Welimir, based on the Slavic element vel ‘big, great’, also ‘significant’ (from Old Slavic velьjь). This is also a Germanized form of some other similar (like-sounding) Slavic cognates, including Upper Sorbian Wjelk.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Welk in the United States?
Based on the data obtained from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Welk has increased in the United States between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 14,335 in terms of popularity, but by 2010 its rank had improved to 12,812. This represents a positive change of 10.62%. The actual count of individuals with the Welk surname also rose from 1,916 in 2000 to 2,407 in 2010, marking an increase of 25.63%. The proportion of people named Welk per 100,000 residents grew by 15.49%, from 0.71 in 2000 to 0.82 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,335 | #12,812 | 10.62% |
| Count | 1,916 | 2,407 | 25.63% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.71 | 0.82 | 15.49% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Welk
Delving into the ethnicity of those with the Welk surname, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that most identified as White in both 2000 and 2010, with percentages of 96.24% and 95.51% respectively. The second largest ethnic identity group was those identifying as two or more races, which decreased from 1.36% in 2000 to 1.00% in 2010. The number of Welks identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander saw the greatest increase, jumping by 116.67%, albeit from a small base of 0.42% to 0.91%. The Hispanic representation also grew significantly from 0.84% to 1.41%. Meanwhile, the percentage of African Americans and American Indian and Alaskan Natives bearing the Welk surname experienced decreases and increases respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.24% | 95.51% | -0.76% |
| Hispanic | 0.84% | 1.41% | 67.86% |
| Two or More Races | 1.36% | 1% | -26.47% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.42% | 0.91% | 116.67% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.42% | 0.62% | 47.62% |
| Black | 0.73% | 0.54% | -26.03% |