The Monk surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 12,103 people carried this name — #2,964 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 24,400 people counted. That is up 8% from 11,207 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Monk surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a name of office: ‘the monk’.

An early record he cites: William le Monek, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Monk, Monke and Munk.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 538 · public domain.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 25 people named Monk live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in City of Buenos Aires.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

City of Buenos Aires 25

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 24 people named Monk.

Most of them — 13 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 8 départements, most often Oise.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 13
Oise 3
Haute-Garonne 2
Aisne 1
Bouches-du-Rhône 1
Gironde 1
Nord 1
Paris 1
Yvelines 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Monk was found among the farmers of 4 counties.

It was most frequent in Buckinghamshire: 20 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 500. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Buckinghamshire 20
Kent 20
Northamptonshire 15
Lancashire 8

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

33 families named Monk, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 179 people lived in those households, 5.4 to a family on average. The table counts it together with one other spelling. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Massachusetts 9
North Carolina 8
New York 5
Virginia 4
Maryland 3
South Carolina 3
Rhode Island 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 254 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Monk in American newspapers,
1872–1886.

Newspaper page from Sword And Shield carrying the name Monk
Sword And Shield 1886-07-31
Newspaper page from Daily Kennebec Journal carrying the name Monk
Daily Kennebec Journal 1885-11-07
Newspaper page from The New Hampshire Gazette carrying the name Monk
The New Hampshire Gazette 1872-08-03

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 4,008 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Monk in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.

63,913 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Monk. The most, 12,106, date from the 1950s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in the Australian Capital Territory, at 1.8 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 27,976
Victoria 13,237
Queensland 10,359
South Australia 5,684
Western Australia 2,892
Tasmania 2,489
ACT (Canberra) 1,141
Northern Territory 72

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Monk.

Who carried it

People named Monk,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Ian Monk d. 1978
  • Maude Ann Monk d. 1990
  • Elizabeth Monk d. 1833
  • Caroline Monk d. 1879
  • Jane Monk d. 1772
  • Ann Monk d. 1734

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Monk,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,058 records

1,058 records of the Monk name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 379
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 185
  • Other U.S. records 494
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Thomas Monk

    Born 1948; from New York, New York. U.S. Army, infantryman; died of wounds 1967 in Kontum, South Vietnam. Buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Dalton Monk

    Born 1911 in Utah. Enlisted 1942 at Salt Lake City; farm hand from Utah County. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 1999, buried at Mount Pleasant City Cemetery, Utah.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mary Monk

    Arrived at New York in 1849 aboard the Columbia from Liverpool, aged 16; laborer. From Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain)

Showing 3 of 1,058 records for Monk in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia862 records

862 records of the Monk name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 445
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 161
  • Other Australian records 256
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record James Monk

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Thames, sailing from London in 1829. Native of Loughton, Essex. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1841. Married 1842 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 30.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record John Monk

    Died 1875 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 44. Will registered in Tasmania in 1875.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record William John Monk

    Born 1860 in Hobart, Tasmania. Married 1883 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 22. Died 1936 in Tasmania, aged 75. Will registered in Tasmania in 1936.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 862 records for Monk in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada271 records

271 records of the Monk name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 217
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 21
  • Other Canadian records 33
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Thomas Monk

    Killed in 1901 at the Moose River, Baltimore and Nova Scotia Mining Co. mine, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Geo Monk

    Came to Ontario in 1874 aboard the Circassian, bound for Brantford, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record John Raymond Monk

    Buried in 1990 at Mount Hermon Cemetery, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, aged 24.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.

Showing 3 of 271 records for Monk in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

Netherlands173 records

173 records of the Monk name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 67
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 54
  • Dutch population registers 52
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Johannes Monk

    Married in 1824 in Nijmegen; "kledermakersknecht", born 1787 in Monnickendam (Waterland). Died 1853 in Nijmegen, aged 65; tailor.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Maria Monk

    Born 1816 in Nijmegen. Married in 1841 in Nijmegen. Died 1890 in Nijmegen, aged 73.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Antoni Christiaan Monk

    Died 1845 in Deventer, aged 69.

    Open Archives, Collectie Overijssel locatie Zwolle (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 173 records for Monk in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom53 records

53 records of the Monk name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 39
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 12
  • Other British records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record George Monk

    Buried in 1802 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 26.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Frederick Monk

    Will proved in 1935; of Connahs Quay, Flint.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. W. Monk

    Coldstream Guards. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 53 records for Monk in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Germany40 records

40 records of the Monk name in Germany
  • Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919 39
  • German emigration and citizenship files 1
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Karl Mönk

    From Neustrelitz. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 1 August 1918; then reported taken prisoner in the list of 12 September 1918.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Hanna Caroline Mönk

    Emigrated to the United States in 1872.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Brandenburgisches Landeshauptarchiv (CC0)
  3. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Wilhelm Mönk

    From Loickenzin, Demmin. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 28 August 1917.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 3 of 40 records for Monk in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0) · Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0); Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0).

New Zealand20 records

20 records of the Monk name in New Zealand
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 8
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 7
  • Other New Zealand records 5
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Charles Joseph Monk

    Died 1996, aged 80; buried at Mercury Bay Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Trevor Raymond Monk

    Died 2000, aged 50; buried at Fairhall Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Jeanette Marie Monk

    Born 1935, died 1990; buried at Oxford Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 20 records for Monk in New Zealand.

Counts: Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France3 records

3 records of the Monk name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Jean Monk

    Born 1915 in Blagnac (Haute-Garonne); died 1989 in Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Francis Marie Monk

    Born 1909 in Maisons-Laffitte (Yvelines); died 1991 in Royan (Charente-Maritime).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Monk in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Monk.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Monk is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Monk volume
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