2000
#98,298
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 171
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Fleniken
A surname derived from a locational name referring to Flanders in Belgium.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 216 Americans carry the last name Fleniken. That puts it at #102,164 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,586,826 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fleniken surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
216
1 in 1,586,826
Census rank
#102,164
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
188
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 188 bearers of the surname Fleniken in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 102164th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fleniken, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fleniken
The surname Fleniken is believed to have originated in Scotland during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "flen," meaning arrow or dart, combined with the Scottish diminutive suffix "-kin." This suggests that the name may have referred to someone who was skilled in the use of archery or who was associated with the manufacture of arrows.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Fleniken can be traced back to the 14th century in various Scottish records and documents. One notable mention is found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, where a certain Robert Fleniken is listed as a landowner in Ayrshire in 1379.
In the 16th century, the Fleniken family had established a presence in the Scottish Borders region, particularly in the area around Jedburgh. This is evidenced by the appearance of the name in the Burgh Records of Jedburgh, which mention several individuals with the surname, including William Fleniken, who served as a town councillor in 1567.
As the Fleniken family spread across Scotland, various spellings of the name emerged, such as Flenikin, Flennekin, and Flenekin. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping at the time.
One notable figure bearing the surname Fleniken was Sir James Fleniken (1590-1662), a Scottish soldier and landowner who fought for the Royalist cause during the English Civil War. He was knighted by King Charles I in 1643 for his loyal service.
Another important individual was Robert Fleniken (1718-1793), a Scottish-born merchant and landowner who settled in Virginia in the mid-18th century. He played a significant role in the development of the tobacco trade in the American colonies and amassed a considerable fortune.
In the 19th century, the Fleniken family had spread to various parts of the United Kingdom and beyond. One notable member was Sir William Fleniken (1829-1901), a British naval officer who distinguished himself during the Crimean War and later served as the Governor of Bermuda from 1886 to 1891.
Other noteworthy individuals with the surname Fleniken include Elizabeth Fleniken (1856-1932), a Scottish author and poet who wrote several works on Scottish folklore and traditions, and James Fleniken (1875-1944), a Canadian politician who served as a member of the House of Commons for the riding of Winnipeg North from 1921 to 1925.
While the surname Fleniken is relatively uncommon today, it has a rich history that can be traced back to its Scottish origins and the various individuals who have carried this name throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fleniken
Among Census respondents with the surname Fleniken, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Fleniken bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Fleniken surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.5% · 172
- Two or more races3.7% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 5
- Black or African American1.1% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.1% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fleniken
Fleniken appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#102,688
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 175
+4 bearers (+2.3%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 4,390 places
2020
#102,164
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 188
+13 bearers (+7.4%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Up 524 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #98,298 | 171 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #102,688 | 175 | 0.06 | +4 bearers (+2.3%) | Down 4,390 places |
| 2020 | #102,164 | 188 | 0.06 | +13 bearers (+7.4%) | Up 524 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Fleniken surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #102,688 | #102,164 | 0.5% |
| Count | 175 | 188 | 7.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.06 | 4.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fleniken bearers went from 175 to 188 (+7.4% change). The surname moved up 524 positions in the national ranking, going from #102,688 to #102,164.
FAQ
Fleniken surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fleniken?
Name Census estimates that about 216 living Americans carry the surname Fleniken. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,586,826 residents.
How common is Fleniken?
Fleniken ranks #102,164 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 188 people with the surname Fleniken. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (216), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.06 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Fleniken.
Has Fleniken become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fleniken went from 175 recorded bearers to 188. That is an increase of 13 (+7.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #102,688 to #102,164.
What does the Census say about the background of Fleniken?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fleniken, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Hispanic (2.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Fleniken in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.5% (172 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fleniken appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.5%), Two or More Races (3.7%), Hispanic (2.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Fleniken (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Fleniken mean?
A surname derived from a locational name referring to Flanders in Belgium. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Fleniken (0.06 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Fleniken?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.