2000
#125,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Bieganowski
A Polish surname derived from a regional nickname for someone from the Bieganów region.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Bieganowski. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bieganowski 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
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Bieganowski in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bieganowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bieganowski
The surname Bieganowski originated in Poland, with the earliest known records dating back to the 15th century. It is a locational surname, derived from the Polish town of Bieganow, located in the Silesian region of southern Poland. The name itself is derived from the Polish word "biegać," which means "to run" or "to move quickly."
The Bieganowski surname is believed to have first appeared in historical records in the late 1400s, when a family residing in the town of Bieganow adopted the name. One of the earliest known references to the surname can be found in a land registry from 1492, which mentions a certain Jan Bieganowski as a landowner in the region.
In the 16th century, the Bieganowski name began to spread beyond the confines of Bieganow, as members of the family migrated to other parts of Poland and neighboring countries. Notable individuals bearing the surname during this period include Jakub Bieganowski (1520-1585), a respected scholar and theologian who taught at the University of Krakow.
The 17th and 18th centuries saw the Bieganowski name continue to gain prominence in various fields. One notable figure was Marcin Bieganowski (1645-1718), a renowned architect who designed several churches and public buildings in the city of Wrocław (then known as Breslau).
As the 19th century dawned, the Bieganowski name remained well-established in Poland, with several individuals making their mark in various fields. One such person was Józef Bieganowski (1801-1867), a prominent lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Sejm (Polish parliament) in the mid-1800s.
Another notable figure was Stanisław Bieganowski (1852-1924), a celebrated painter and art teacher who helped establish the Krakow Academy of Fine Arts. His works are displayed in several museums and galleries throughout Poland.
In the 20th century, the Bieganowski surname continued to be represented in various walks of life, including the arts, academia, and politics. One notable individual was Kazimierz Bieganowski (1919-2004), a respected historian and author who wrote extensively on the history of Poland and its cultural heritage.
While the Bieganowski surname has its roots firmly planted in Poland, it has since spread to other parts of the world through immigration and diaspora communities. However, the name's origins can be traced back to the small town of Bieganow, where it first emerged as a locational surname several centuries ago.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bieganowski
Among Census respondents with the surname Bieganowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Bieganowski 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 Bieganowski surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.3% · 100
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 3
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bieganowski
Bieganowski 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
#132,206
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 128
+2 bearers (+1.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,567 places
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-22 bearers (-17.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 20,133 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #125,639 | 126 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #132,206 | 128 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.6%) | Down 6,567 places |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | -22 bearers (-17.2%) | Down 20,133 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 Bieganowski 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 | #132,206 | #152,339 | -15.2% |
| Count | 128 | 106 | -17.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bieganowski bearers went from 128 to 106 (-17.2% change). The surname moved down 20,133 positions in the national ranking, going from #132,206 to #152,339.
FAQ
Bieganowski surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bieganowski?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Bieganowski. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Bieganowski?
Bieganowski ranks #152,339 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 106 people with the surname Bieganowski. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), 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 Bieganowski.
Has Bieganowski become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bieganowski went from 128 recorded bearers to 106. That is a decrease of 22 (-17.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #132,206 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Bieganowski?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bieganowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Bieganowski in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.3% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bieganowski appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.3%), Hispanic (2.8%), Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Bieganowski (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 Bieganowski mean?
A Polish surname derived from a regional nickname for someone from the Bieganów region. 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 Bieganowski (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 common is the surname Bieganowski?
Find out how many people have the surname Bieganowski on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.