2000
#5,689
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,590
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.07
Rare Last name
Mink
A surname derived from a nickname for someone with a dark complexion or hair, from Middle English "mink."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,182 Americans carry the last name Mink. That puts it at #6,101 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.80 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 55,444 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mink 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
6.2K
1 in 55,444
Census rank
#6,101
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,391 bearers of the surname Mink in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.80 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6101st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mink, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mink
The surname MINK is of English origin, deriving from the Middle English word "mink" or "munk," which referred to a small furry animal similar to a weasel. It is believed that the name was initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone who had some association with this animal, perhaps a fur trader or hunter.
The earliest recorded instances of the MINK surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various parts of England, such as Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. It is likely that the name was initially adopted by individuals living in areas where minks were found in abundance or where there was a thriving fur trade.
One of the earliest known bearers of the MINK surname was John Mink, who was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273. Another early record is that of Robert le Munk, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327.
The MINK surname has also been linked to various place names in England, such as Minchinhampton in Gloucestershire, which was formerly known as "Munchenhampton" or "Monkenhampton." This suggests that some individuals may have adopted the surname based on their place of origin or residence.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the MINK surname. One such person was Sir Henry Mink (1609-1680), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in the 17th century.
Another prominent figure was Richard Mink (1737-1817), an American soldier who fought in the Revolutionary War and later became a prominent landowner and farmer in Pennsylvania.
In the literary world, Herman Mink (1818-1891) was a Dutch poet and writer known for his contributions to the Dutch language and literature.
The MINK surname has also been associated with notable figures in the field of science. One example is William Mink (1867-1935), an American astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of variable stars and the discovery of new celestial objects.
Lastly, in the realm of sports, Herbert Mink (1901-1973) was a German athlete who competed in the 1928 and 1932 Summer Olympics, winning a silver medal in the long jump event.
The MINK surname continues to be found in various parts of the world, particularly in countries with British ancestry, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. While its origins can be traced back to medieval England, the name has evolved and spread across different regions, reflecting the diverse histories and migrations of its bearers.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mink
Among Census respondents with the surname Mink, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Mink 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 Mink surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.7% · 4,942
- Two or more races3.5% · 188
- Hispanic or Latino2.3% · 122
- Black or African American1.4% · 73
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 42
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 24
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mink
Mink 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
#5,841
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,922
+332 bearers (+5.9%)
Per 100,000 2.01
Rank movement Down 152 places
2020
#6,101
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,391
-531 bearers (-9.0%)
Per 100,000 1.80
Rank movement Down 260 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,689 | 5,590 | 2.07 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,841 | 5,922 | 2.01 | +332 bearers (+5.9%) | Down 152 places |
| 2020 | #6,101 | 5,391 | 1.80 | -531 bearers (-9.0%) | Down 260 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 Mink 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 | #5,841 | #6,101 | -4.5% |
| Count | 5,922 | 5,391 | -9.0% |
| Per 100K | 2.01 | 1.80 | -10.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mink bearers went from 5,922 to 5,391 (-9.0% change). The surname moved down 260 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,841 to #6,101.
FAQ
Mink surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mink?
Name Census estimates that about 6,182 living Americans carry the surname Mink. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 55,444 residents.
How common is Mink?
Mink ranks #6,101 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.80 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,391 people with the surname Mink. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,182), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.8 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.80 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Mink.
Has Mink become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mink went from 5,922 recorded bearers to 5,391. That is a decrease of 531 (-9.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #5,841 to #6,101.
What does the Census say about the background of Mink?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mink, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and Hispanic (2.3%). 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 Mink in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.7% (4,942 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mink appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.7%), Two or More Races (3.5%), Hispanic (2.3%). 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 Mink (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 Mink mean?
A surname derived from a nickname for someone with a dark complexion or hair, from Middle English "mink." 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 Mink (1.80 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 people have the last name Mink?
See how many people have the surname Mink on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.