Surname Fork - Meaning and Origin

Fork: What does the surname Fork mean?

The origin of the surname Fork is uncertain, but it is likely that it derives from Old English, where it may have been a nickname given to someone with the physical trait of having a forked chin. This type of nickname is called a ‘scorn name’, and was likely given to someone who was perceived as having a unique feature which made them stand out from the crowd. Alternatively, it could also be an occupational name – someone who worked in the cutlery industry.

The earliest known record of the Fork surname appears in the English Poll Tax Records of Yorkshire in 1379, where the name is recorded as ‘Forkes’. Rarer variants such as Forken, Forks and Forke can also appear in records from the medieval period onwards.

The Fork surname is found predominantly in Yorkshire and Lancashire, particularly in the North West. Its distribution is thought to be due to the migration of communities in search of work in nearby cities.

The Fork surname is most common in the USA, where it has been brought by British settlers throughout the centuries. It is thought that the Fork surname is more popular than other surnames in the USA due to the increased emigration of people with the surname in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Overall, the Fork surname is one of many which relates to physical traits, occupational names, locational names, and those which have become popular during various periods of migration throughout history.

Fork: Where does the name Fork come from?

The surname Fork is commonly found throughout the English-speaking world, including the United States, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. However, Fork is more heavily concentrated in the United States, where it is the 1,716th most common surname, according to 2020 estimates.

Historically, the Fork surname originated in England, where it was an occupational name for someone who worked at a "fork," an old-fashioned unit of measure for cloth. The Fork surname is also derived from the Old English word for spadel, a personal digging tool, or the word for trefork, which is a tool for bringing down branches on trees.

Early records of the Fork surname in the United States can be found in the 17th century, with early bearers of the name appearing on the 1700s Newcomb Tax List in Pennsylvania. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, Fork families spread to the midwestern and southern states, with many individuals settling in Texas.

Today, Fork is still a prominent surname in the United States, with over 25,123 people sharing the name. As many as 3,024 live in Pennsylvania today while 2,818 live in Texas. There are also large clusters of Fork families found in Ohio and Virginia.

Variations of the surname Fork

The surname Fork can have a variety of spellings and variants throughout different countries and languages. Variations include Forker, Forkner, Forquer, Forqueray, Furk, Fark, and Furke.

The Fork surname originated in the Middle High German word “vurwerc” or “verwerch” which referred to a metal worker or armorer. This term was used to describe someone who worked with weapons, tools, and implements.

The surname Fork most likely originated in the Low German regions of Germany, the Netherlands, and Northern France. One branch of the Fork family emigrated to France, where the name was spelled Furke. Another branch migrated to England, where the name evolved into Fark, Furk, and Forker. The name Forkner is said to originate from a document written in the South German dialect in 1276.

In Scandinavia, the Fork surname was spelled Furke. Nils Petter Furke was born near Stockholm, Sweden in 1644. Around the same time, another family bearing the same surname lived in Norway. Variations in spelling and dialects means that today, there are even more variations of this surname.

Overall, due to the various permutations throughout Europe, the Fork surname has a variety of spellings, variants, and surnames of the same origin, including Forker, Forkner, Forquer, Forqueray, Furk, Fark, and Furke.

Famous people with the name Fork

• Oscar Fork, Norwegian sculptor
• Lawney Fork, American illustrator
• Dave Fork, British poet
• Ethan Fork, American singer-songwriter
• Madeleine Fork, Canadian author
• Baby Fork, American rapper
• Julian Fork, German composer
• Jens Fork, Danish painter
• Jeff Fork, American actor
• Sebastien Fork, French chef

Other surnames

ForaForaisForaitsForanForaneForayForbesForbessForbisForbishForbusForbushForcettForchFörchForcherForchhammerForchheimerFordFordeFordermaierFordermairFordermeierFordermeyerFordiceFordneyFordtFordyceForemanForero