The Polk surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 27,094 people carried this name — #1,296 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 10,900 people counted. That is up 7% from 25,438 in 2000.

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Where the name comes from

The origin of the Polk surname

As a Scottish surname, shortened from Pollock.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Polk» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In Poland’s population register

106 people named Polk have a registered home in Poland.

Of the 169 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 7 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Silesian.

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

Where they live today

Silesian 84
Masovian 6
Greater Poland 5
Kuyavian-Pomeranian 4
West Pomeranian 3
Lower Silesian 2
Łódź 2

PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

54 families named Polk, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 308 people lived in those households, 5.7 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 4 other spellings. 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

Pennsylvania 20
South Carolina 13
North Carolina 10
Maryland 4
Connecticut 2
Virginia 2
Maine 1
Rhode Island 1
New York 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. 257 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Polk in American newspapers,
1849–1921.

Newspaper page from The Helena Independent carrying the name Polk
The Helena Independent 1891-12-27
Newspaper page from The Rice Belt Journal carrying the name Polk
The Rice Belt Journal 1921-05-07
Newspaper page from Columbus Democrat carrying the name Polk
Columbus Democrat 1849-07-14

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 625,036 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Polk in Australian newspapers,
1840s–1980s.

3,527 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Polk. The most, 1,830, date from the 1880s.

Articles, by state

Victoria 1,164
New South Wales 1,094
South Australia 584
Queensland 356
Tasmania 223
Western Australia 90
ACT (Canberra) 4
Northern Territory 2

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

Who carried it

People named Polk,
with a public archive behind them.

  • William Polk
    William Polk 1752–1812 · politician
  • Samuel Polk
    Samuel Polk 1765–1827 · surveyor
  • Charles Polk Jr.
    Charles Polk Jr. 1788–1857 · lawyer
  • William Julius Polk
    William Julius Polk 1793–1860
  • James K. Polk
    James K. Polk 1795–1849 · lawyer

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped — Samuel Polk: Dbergere, CC BY-SA 3.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0); the others are in the public domain or CC0 · 133 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Polk,
in the records of 7 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 States1,513 records

1,513 records of the Polk name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 847
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 411
  • Other U.S. records 255
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Ralph M. Polk

    Born 1920 in Massachusetts. Enlisted 1942 at Boston; shoe factory worker from Middlesex County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 2000, buried at Wyoming Cemetery, Melrose, Massachusetts.

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

    Arrived at New Orleans in 1840 aboard the Johann Georg from Bremen, aged 28; farmer. From Hanover, Germany.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Robert Louis Polk

    Born 1949; from Sherman, Texas. U.S. Marine Corps, rifleman; killed in action 1968 in Quang Tri, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 1,513 records for Polk in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Netherlands303 records

303 records of the Polk name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 185
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 116
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 2
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Isidor Polk

    Married in 1934 in Amsterdam; commercial traveller. Died 1945 in Zwolle, aged 36.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Collectie Overijssel locatie Zwolle (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Isaac Polk

    Married in 1865 in Amsterdam; hawker. Died 1920 in Apeldoorn, aged 82.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Sara Polk

    Died 1943 in Westerbork; born 1848 in Amsterdam.

    Open Archives, Drents Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 303 records for Polk 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).

Germany65 records

65 records of the Polk name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Heinrich Polk

    From Radewitz, Leobschütz. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 25 August 1916 (Grenadier Regiment No. 12).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Josef Polk

    From Dresden. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 2 December 1914 (Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 35).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  3. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Karl Pölk

    From Tiefensee, Stuhm. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 12 October 1915 (Infantry Regiment No. 150).

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

Showing 3 of 65 records for Polk in Germany.

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

Australia13 records

13 records of the Polk name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 9
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 2
  • Other Australian records 2
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Robert Brand Polk

    Company director of Toorak, Victoria; died 2000.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Thos Polk

    Sailed from Victoria in 1855 aboard the City of Sydney II, bound for Sydney, aged 37.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Birth record Rosina Wilhelmina Polk

    Born 1858 in Bothwell, Tasmania.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 13 records for Polk in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Canada4 records

4 records of the Polk name in Canada
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 3
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 1
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Tammer Beatrice Polk

    Buried in 1927 at Burnsland Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record John Perry Polk

    Died in service in 1943.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Herbert Polk

    Died in service in 1917.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 4 records for Polk in Canada.

Counts: Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

France3 records

3 records of the Polk 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 Eugenie Polk

    Born 1911 in Strasbourg; died 1998 in Strasbourg (Bas-Rhin).

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

    Born 1954 in Gray (Haute-Saône); died 1977 in Belgium.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Marie Therese Denise Polk

    Born 1946 in Lisieux; died 1995 in Lisieux (Calvados).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

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).

Norway2 records

2 records of the Polk name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Johan Polk

    Census of 1910: Kirkestedet, Kautokeino; born 1879 in Kautokeino.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Kirsten Polk

    Census of 1910: Kirkestedet, Kautokeino; born 1890 in Kautokeino.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)

Counts: Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Polk.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Polk 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 Polk volume
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