Stork
A nickname surname for someone likened to the bird stork, or used as a sign-name for a house or shop with that emblem.
The #9,415 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 89,388 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname is usually explained as a nickname or sign-name from the bird stork. The older forms point to Old English and Scandinavian influence, with related spellings such as Storck and Storkey. In simple terms, it likely began as a label for someone thought to resemble the bird, or for someone living or working at a place marked by a stork sign.
History
19th-century surname writers treat Stork as an English nickname surname and compare it with other bird-based names such as Crane, Heron, Hawk, and Sparrow. The spelling Storck appears in medieval records, and related forms like Storkey were also recorded. In modern usage it remains uncommon, including in the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Bird-based surnames were a favorite subject of Victorian name scholars, who often grouped Stork with other vivid nickname surnames like Crane and Heron.
From the historical record
“Cp. Storrey. STORK (Eng.]) a nickname and sign-name from the bird [O.E. store - Scand. stork] Cp. Storck. STORKEY I = Stork (q.v.) -f- the E. dim. suff. -ey. ' J for Stftrkey, q.v. storm”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)