Find out how popular the last name Balcerak is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Balcerak.

Balcerak, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Balcerak surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Balcerak in America

Balcerak is the 68949th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Balcerak surname appeared 285 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Balcerak.

We can also compare 2010 data for Balcerak to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Balcerak

The surname Balcerak has its origins in Poland, dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Polish word "balcerz," which means "maker of leather goods." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname were likely involved in the leatherworking trade or craft.

The name Balcerak is a variation of the more common Polish surname Balcer, which itself is a derivative of the given name Baltazar or Balthazar. These names have their roots in the Aramaic name "Belteshazzar," which means "may Bel protect the king."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Balcerak surname can be found in the parish records of the village of Wieliczka, near Kraków, in the late 16th century. The name is also mentioned in the records of the nearby town of Bochnia, which was a significant center for salt mining and trade during that period.

In the 17th century, the Balcerak surname appeared in the records of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, indicating that members of the family were educated and possibly held positions within the university or the church.

A notable figure bearing the Balcerak surname was Jan Balcerak (1631-1708), a Polish priest and theologian who served as the rector of the Jagiellonian University from 1699 to 1701. He was also the author of several theological works and was known for his efforts in promoting education and literacy among the clergy.

Another individual of historical significance was Wojciech Balcerak (1798-1876), a Polish military officer who fought in the November Uprising against Russian rule in 1830-1831. He later settled in France and published his memoirs, which provided valuable insights into the struggles for Polish independence during that period.

In the 19th century, the Balcerak surname was also found in the records of the city of Poznań, which was then part of the Prussian-ruled Grand Duchy of Posen. One notable figure from this region was Franciszek Balcerak (1835-1901), a Polish lawyer and political activist who advocated for the rights of the Polish minority in Prussia.

The Balcerak surname can also be traced to the village of Balcerzyki, located in the Podlaskie Voivodeship of northeastern Poland. This place name is likely derived from the same root as the surname, suggesting a connection between the name and this particular geographic location.

It is worth noting that the spelling of the surname has varied over time, with alternative forms such as Balcerak, Balcerek, and Balcerzak appearing in historical records. However, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained consistent, reflecting the Polish heritage and leatherworking traditions of its earliest bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Balcerak

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Balcerak.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Balcerak was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Balcerak has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Balcerak was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Balcerak, please contact us.

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