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Shenk Family History

Shenk Name Meaning

Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant spelling of Schenk 2. Americanized spelling of German Schenk or Slovenian Šenk (see Senk).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Senk, Shen, Shonk, Schenk, Shunk, Sheek, Shank, Shuck, Shane, Shein

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Shenk family from?

You can see how Shenk families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Shenk family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Shenk families were found in the USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 38 Shenk families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 75% of all the recorded Shenk's in the USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Shenk families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Shenk surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Shenk ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the US named Shenk. 21% of Shenk men worked as a Farmer and 15% of Shenk women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Shenk were Truck Driver and Waitress.

View Census data for Shenk | 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
    21%
  • Laborer
    16%
  • Salesman
    7%
  • Truck Driver
    5%

Top Female Occupations in 1940

  • Teacher
    15%
  • Housekeeper
    13%
  • Housewife
    9%
  • Waitress
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Shenk family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 15,000 census records available for the last name Shenk. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Shenk census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Shenk

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Shenk. 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 Shenk immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Shenk military records

You've only scratched the surface of Shenk family history.

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What is the average Shenk lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Shenk life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Shenk in 1955 was 35, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Shenk

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