2010
#152,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Bezjak
A South Slavic surname likely denoting someone who lived in an isolated or remote area.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Bezjak. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bezjak 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
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Bezjak in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bezjak, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (14.5%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bezjak
The surname BEZJAK has its origins in Slovenia, a country located in Southern Central Europe. It is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is derived from the Slovene word "bezjak," which means "runner" or "messenger."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname BEZJAK can be found in a document from the city of Ljubljana, dated 1389. This document mentions a person named Jakob Bezjak, who was a local messenger. It is likely that the name was originally an occupational surname, given to individuals who worked as runners or messengers.
Throughout the centuries, variations of the spelling have been observed, such as Beziak, Bezjack, and Bežjak. These variations likely emerged due to regional dialects and the influence of other languages in the region.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Andrej Bezjak (1530-1595) was a prominent scholar and theologian in Slovenia. He was known for his contributions to the translation of religious texts into the Slovene language.
Another individual of note was Janez Bezjak (1678-1742), a renowned architect and sculptor from the town of Kamnik, Slovenia. He was responsible for designing and constructing several notable churches and buildings in the region during the Baroque period.
In the 19th century, a man named Alojz Bezjak (1826-1892) gained recognition as a Slovene poet and writer. His works were instrumental in promoting Slovene literature and cultural identity during a time of political and cultural upheaval in the region.
Moving into the 20th century, Stanko Bezjak (1908-1993) was a respected Slovenian painter and artist. His works often depicted landscapes and scenes from rural Slovenian life, capturing the essence of the country's natural beauty and traditions.
Another notable figure was Marija Bezjak (1920-2005), a celebrated Slovenian soprano who performed in numerous operas and concerts throughout Europe. She was renowned for her powerful and expressive voice, and her contributions to the promotion of Slovenian classical music.
While the surname BEZJAK has its roots in Slovenia, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora. However, the earliest documented instances and most prominent figures bearing this name can be traced back to the historical regions of present-day Slovenia.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bezjak
Among Census respondents with the surname Bezjak, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (14.5%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Bezjak 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 Bezjak surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White80.0% · 88
- Hispanic or Latino14.5% · 16
- Two or more races3.6% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bezjak
Bezjak appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+3 bearers (+2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,182 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #152,628 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.8%) | Up 3,182 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 Bezjak 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 | #152,628 | #149,446 | 2.1% |
| Count | 107 | 110 | 2.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bezjak bearers went from 107 to 110 (+2.8% change). The surname moved up 3,182 positions in the national ranking, going from #152,628 to #149,446.
FAQ
Bezjak surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bezjak?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Bezjak. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Bezjak?
Bezjak ranks #149,446 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 110 people with the surname Bezjak. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), 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 Bezjak.
Has Bezjak become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bezjak went from 107 recorded bearers to 110. That is an increase of 3 (+2.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #152,628 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Bezjak?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bezjak, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (14.5%) and Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Bezjak in the 2020 Census, accounting for 80.0% (88 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bezjak appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (80.0%), Hispanic (14.5%), Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Bezjak (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 Bezjak mean?
A South Slavic surname likely denoting someone who lived in an isolated or remote area. 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 Bezjak (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 Bezjak?
Want to know how common the surname Bezjak is? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.