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Balk Family History

Balk Name Meaning

German: from a pet form of a Slavic equivalent of the personal name Valentinus (see Valentine ). Dutch and German: from balk balke ‘timber beam’ hence a metonymic occupational name for a carpenter or a nickname for a big man. English (Yorkshire): variant of Baulk from Middle English balke ‘ridge or bank created by plowing’ (Old English balca) or a habitational name from a place called with this word for example Balk near Thirsk in the North Yorkshire.

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


Similar surnames: Bank, Balke, Ball, Falk, Bald, Back, Kalk, Walk, Balik, Bark

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Balk family from?

You can see how Balk families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Balk family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Balk families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 46 Balk families living in New York. This was about 21% of all the recorded Balk's in USA. New York had the highest population of Balk families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Balk 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 Balk ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Balk. 27% of Balk men worked as a Farmer and 15% of Balk women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Balk were Salesman and Clerk. .

View Census Data for Balk | 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.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    27%
  • Laborer
    15%
  • Farming
    8%
  • Salesman
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    15%
  • Housekeeper
    15%
  • Maid
    10%
  • Clerk
    6%
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What Balk family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 8,000 census records available for the last name Balk. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Balk census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Balk

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Balk. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Balk immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Balk. For the veterans among your Balk ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Balk military records

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What is the average Balk lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Balk life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Balk in 1951 was 42, and 84 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Balk

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