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Erk Family History

Erk Surname Meaning

German: from a short form of Erkenbert or Erkenbrecht, an ancient Germanic personal name composed of the elements erkan ‘pure, perfect’ + berht ‘bright, famous’.

Possibly also Dutch (Van Erk): habitational name for someone from Herk-de-Stad or St.-Lambrechts-Herk in the province of Limburg, Belgium.

Compare Erck.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Erk family from?

You can see how Erk families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Erk family name was found in the USA, and the UK between 1880 and 1920. The most Erk families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there was 1 Erk family living in Dorset. This was about 50% of all the recorded Erk's in United Kingdom. Dorset and 1 other county had the highest population of Erk families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Erk surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Erk ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Cigar Maker were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Erk. 22% of Erk men worked as a Farmer and 20% of Erk women worked as a Cigar Maker. Some less common occupations for Americans named Erk were Bookkeeper and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Erk | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    22%
  • Laborer
    18%
  • Salesman
    9%
  • Bookkeeper
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Cigar Maker
    20%
  • Operator
    14%
  • New Worker
    14%
  • Housekeeper
    14%

What Erk family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Erk. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Erk census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Erk

Passenger Lists

There are 783 immigration records available for the last name Erk. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Erk immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Erk. For the veterans among your Erk ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Erk military records

You've only scratched the surface of Erk family history

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What is the average Erk lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2004, in the United States, Erk life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1970. The average life expectancy for Erk in 1961 was 51, and 59 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Erk

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Erk ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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