2000
#147,095
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Beleski
A surname of Polish origin derived from the word "biały" meaning "white", potentially referring to fair hair or complexion.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Beleski. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Beleski surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Beleski in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Beleski, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.3%) and Black (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Beleski
The surname Beleski is believed to have originated in Eastern Europe, specifically in the regions of modern-day Poland and Ukraine. It is thought to be derived from the Slavic root "bel," meaning "white" or "fair," potentially referring to a person's physical appearance or other distinguishing characteristic.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name dates back to the late 15th century, when a Stanisław Beleski was mentioned in a document from the Polish city of Krakow. This document, which detailed land transactions and property ownership, suggests that the Beleski family may have held a certain level of prominence or status during that era.
In the 16th century, the name appears in various records from the region, including church registers and tax rolls. One notable mention is found in a manuscript from the town of Lviv (now in Ukraine), which refers to a Jakub Beleski, a merchant engaged in the trade of textiles and other goods along the trade routes connecting Eastern and Western Europe.
Moving forward to the 17th century, the Beleski name is associated with several notable figures. Michał Beleski (1605-1672) was a Polish nobleman and military commander who fought in the Khmelnytsky Uprising against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. His exploits were chronicled in contemporary accounts, solidifying his place in the region's history.
Another prominent individual bearing the Beleski surname was Anna Beleska (1636-1701), a renowned herbalist and healer from the village of Sandomierz in central Poland. Her work in traditional medicine and her extensive knowledge of local flora earned her recognition among the rural communities of the time.
In the 18th century, the Beleski name can be found in various parish records and land registries across Eastern Europe. One notable figure from this period was Jan Beleski (1734-1807), a Polish architect who contributed to the design and construction of several churches and public buildings in the city of Warsaw.
As the centuries progressed, the Beleski name continued to spread and evolve, with various spellings and variations emerging in different regions. However, the core essence of the name remained rooted in its Eastern European origins, reflecting the rich cultural and historical tapestry of the region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Beleski
Among Census respondents with the surname Beleski, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.3%) and Black (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Beleski bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Beleski surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.2% · 109
- Hispanic or Latino4.3% · 5
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Beleski
Beleski appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
+5 bearers (+4.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,437 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+9 bearers (+8.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 7,262 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #147,095 | 103 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.9%) | Down 4,437 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.3%) | Up 7,262 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Beleski surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #151,532 | #144,270 | 4.8% |
| Count | 108 | 117 | 8.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Beleski bearers went from 108 to 117 (+8.3% change). The surname moved up 7,262 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #144,270.
FAQ
Beleski surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Beleski?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Beleski. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Beleski?
Beleski ranks #144,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 117 people with the surname Beleski. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Beleski.
Has Beleski become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Beleski went from 108 recorded bearers to 117. That is an increase of 9 (+8.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #151,532 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Beleski?
Among Census respondents with the surname Beleski, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.3%) and Black (1.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Beleski in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.2% (109 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Beleski appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.2%), Hispanic (4.3%), Black (1.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Beleski (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Beleski mean?
A surname of Polish origin derived from the word "biały" meaning "white", potentially referring to fair hair or complexion. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Beleski (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Beleski?
You can see how many people are called Beleski on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.