History of your Surname
Get access to Derk family records.Start a free trial

Derk Family History

Derk Name Meaning

German: variant of Dirk . Compare also Derek and Flemish Derck . Croatian: nickname from an old spelling of dialect drk ‘race run’. In North America this surname may also be an altered form of the more common variant Drk.

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


Similar surnames: Berk, Deck, Merk, Dirk, Durk, Derks, Derr, Denk, Delk, Gerk

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 Derk family from?

You can see how Derk families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Derk family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Derk families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 10 Derk families living in Saskatchewan. This was about 77% of all the recorded Derk's in Canada. Saskatchewan had the highest population of Derk families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Derk surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Derk ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmers Son was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Derk. 100% of Derk men worked as a Farmers Son. .

View Census Data for Derk | 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 1921

  • Farmers Son
    100%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Derk family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Derk. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Derk census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Derk

Passenger Lists

There are 293 immigration records available for the last name Derk. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Derk immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 602 military records available for the last name Derk. For the veterans among your Derk ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Derk military records

You've only scratched the surface of Derk family history

Discover More

What is the average Derk lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Derk life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1968, and highest in 1978. The average life expectancy for Derk in 1952 was 70, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Derk

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Derk family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Derk last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial