2000
#150,436
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Buchak
A surname likely derived from a place name in Ukraine.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 114 Americans carry the last name Buchak. That puts it at #156,005 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,006,617 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Buchak 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
114
1 in 3,006,617
Census rank
#156,005
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
99
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 99 bearers of the surname Buchak in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156005th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Buchak, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Buchak
The surname BUCHAK has its origins in Ukraine, where it first appeared during the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Ukrainian word "buchak," which referred to a corner or an outlying region. This suggests that the name may have initially been given to someone who resided in a remote or isolated area.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BUCHAK can be found in the Cossack Host records from the late 16th century. These records documented the names of individuals who served in the Cossack military formations, which played a significant role in the history of Ukraine.
In the 17th century, the name BUCHAK gained prominence in the region of Podolia, a historical area located in modern-day western Ukraine and eastern Poland. Several notable individuals bore this surname during this period, including Petro BUCHAK, a prominent figure in the Cossack uprisings against Polish rule in the mid-17th century.
The 18th century saw the BUCHAK family establish itself as a prominent noble family in the Russian Empire. Nikolai BUCHAK (1723-1789) was a notable military leader who served under Empress Catherine the Great and played a crucial role in the Russo-Turkish War of 1768-1774.
In the 19th century, the BUCHAK surname gained further recognition with the birth of Yevhen BUCHAK (1833-1912), a renowned Ukrainian writer and cultural figure. His literary works, which explored themes of Ukrainian identity and nationalism, played a significant role in shaping the cultural landscape of the time.
Another notable figure from this period was Olena BUCHAK (1860-1938), a prominent Ukrainian philanthropist and educator. She founded several schools and educational institutions in Ukraine, making significant contributions to the advancement of education in the region.
During the 20th century, the BUCHAK surname continued to be carried by individuals who made notable contributions in various fields. One such figure was Vasyl BUCHAK (1891-1974), a renowned Ukrainian diplomat who served as the ambassador of the Ukrainian People's Republic to several countries in the early 20th century.
Overall, the surname BUCHAK has a rich history that spans several centuries and is deeply rooted in the cultural and historical fabric of Ukraine. Its origins can be traced back to the 16th century, and it has been borne by individuals who have made significant contributions to various aspects of Ukrainian society, including literature, education, military, and diplomacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Buchak
Among Census respondents with the surname Buchak, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Buchak 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 Buchak surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.9% · 92
- Two or more races5.1% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Buchak
Buchak 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
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
+4 bearers (+4.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,608 places
2020
#156,005
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 99
-5 bearers (-4.8%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 39 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #150,436 | 100 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+4.0%) | Down 5,608 places |
| 2020 | #156,005 | 99 | 0.03 | -5 bearers (-4.8%) | Up 39 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 Buchak 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 | #156,044 | #156,005 | 0.0% |
| Count | 104 | 99 | -4.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -17.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Buchak bearers went from 104 to 99 (-4.8% change). The surname moved up 39 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #156,005.
FAQ
Buchak surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Buchak?
Name Census estimates that about 114 living Americans carry the surname Buchak. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,006,617 residents.
How common is Buchak?
Buchak ranks #156,005 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 99 people with the surname Buchak. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (114), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Buchak.
Has Buchak become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Buchak went from 104 recorded bearers to 99. That is a decrease of 5 (-4.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #156,005.
What does the Census say about the background of Buchak?
Among Census respondents with the surname Buchak, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%). 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 Buchak in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.9% (92 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Buchak appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.9%), Two or More Races (5.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%). 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 Buchak (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 Buchak mean?
A surname likely derived from a place name in Ukraine. 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 Buchak (0.03 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 share the surname Buchak?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.