2000
#136,783
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Cernick
A surname of possible Eastern European origin, potentially derived from a regional place name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 110 Americans carry the last name Cernick. That puts it at #156,540 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,115,949 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cernick 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
110
1 in 3,115,949
Census rank
#156,540
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
96
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 96 bearers of the surname Cernick in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156540th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cernick, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.8%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (2.1%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cernick
The surname Cernick has its origins in the Czech Republic, dating back to the late 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Czech word "černý," meaning "black," which may have been used to describe a person with dark hair or complexion or someone who worked with soot or charcoal.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cernick can be found in the village of Černíkov, located in the Plzeň region of the Czech Republic. This village name, which shares a similar root to the surname, is thought to have contributed to the development of the family name.
In the late 17th century, a man named Jan Cernick was recorded in the town of Pilsen (now Plzeň), where he worked as a blacksmith. His occupation may have influenced the adoption of the name, as blacksmiths often dealt with soot and charcoal, lending credence to the theory of the name's connection to the word "černý."
Notable historical figures bearing the surname Cernick include Václav Cernick (1698-1772), a renowned Czech painter known for his religious works and portraits. His paintings can be found in various churches and galleries throughout the Czech Republic.
Another prominent individual was Tomáš Cernick (1825-1892), a Czech writer and journalist who played a significant role in the Czech National Revival movement. He was a champion of the Czech language and culture, publishing numerous works that contributed to the preservation of Czech identity.
In the early 20th century, Marie Cernick (1902-1987) gained recognition as a talented opera singer. Born in Prague, she performed in various opera houses across Europe, particularly in Germany and Austria, where she was celebrated for her powerful soprano voice.
During World War II, Karel Cernick (1912-1945) became a notable figure in the Czech resistance against the Nazi occupation. He was a member of the underground resistance movement and was executed by the Gestapo for his involvement in anti-Nazi activities.
The surname Cernick can also be traced back to the town of Černice, located in the South Bohemian region of the Czech Republic. This town's name shares a similar root to the surname, suggesting that some Cernick families may have originated from this area.
While the surname Cernick is most prevalent in the Czech Republic, it has also been found in other parts of Europe and across the globe, likely due to migration patterns over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cernick
Among Census respondents with the surname Cernick, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.8%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (2.1%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Cernick 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 Cernick surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.8% · 92
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.1% · 2
- Two or more races2.1% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cernick
Cernick 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 (-4.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 14,749 places
2020
#156,540
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 96
-12 bearers (-11.1%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 5,008 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #136,783 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-4.4%) | Down 14,749 places |
| 2020 | #156,540 | 96 | 0.03 | -12 bearers (-11.1%) | Down 5,008 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 Cernick 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 | #156,540 | -3.3% |
| Count | 108 | 96 | -11.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -19.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cernick bearers went from 108 to 96 (-11.1% change). The surname moved down 5,008 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #156,540.
FAQ
Cernick surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cernick?
Name Census estimates that about 110 living Americans carry the surname Cernick. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,115,949 residents.
How common is Cernick?
Cernick ranks #156,540 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 96 people with the surname Cernick. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (110), 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 Cernick.
Has Cernick become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cernick went from 108 recorded bearers to 96. That is a decrease of 12 (-11.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #151,532 to #156,540.
What does the Census say about the background of Cernick?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cernick, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.8%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (2.1%) and Two or More Races (2.1%). 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 Cernick in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.8% (92 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cernick appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.1%), Two or More Races (2.1%). 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 Cernick (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 Cernick mean?
A surname of possible Eastern European origin, potentially derived from a regional place name. 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 Cernick (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 have the last name Cernick?
See how many Americans have the surname Cernick on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.