Dobek last name popularity, history, and meaning

Find out how popular the last name Dobek is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Dobek.

Meaning of Dobek

A Polish surname derived from "dob", meaning good, suggesting virtuous character.

Dobek, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Dobek surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dobek in America

Dobek is the 39212th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dobek surname appeared 561 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Dobek.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dobek to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

20102000Change (%)
Rank39212386441.46%
Count5615384.19%
Proportion per 100k0.190.20-5.13%

The history of the last name Dobek

The surname Dobek is of Polish origin, with roots that can be traced back to the 13th century in the region of Greater Poland. It is believed to have derived from the Polish word "dobek," which means "small forest" or "grove." This suggests that the name may have originally been associated with individuals who lived near or worked in forested areas.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Polish tax register known as the "Liber Retaxationum" from the late 14th century, where a certain "Dobek de Gawronow" is mentioned. This entry indicates that the name was already in use during that time period.

In the 16th century, the Dobek surname can be found in various historical records from the region of Poznań, a city in western Poland. For instance, a merchant named Jan Dobek is documented in the city archives from the year 1523.

During the 17th century, the Dobek family established a notable presence in the town of Kościan, located in the Wielkopolska region. Records show that a certain Stanisław Dobek served as a local official and landowner in Kościan around the year 1650.

One of the earliest known individuals with the Dobek surname was Jakub Dobek, a Polish nobleman and military commander who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He participated in the Polish-Swedish wars and is mentioned in several historical accounts from that period.

Another notable figure bearing the Dobek name was Franciszek Dobek (1783-1854), a Polish painter and artist who was known for his landscapes and portraits. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna and later became a professor at the University of Warsaw.

In the 19th century, the Dobek surname gained prominence with the birth of Henryk Dobek (1836-1901), a Polish writer and poet who was a member of the Polish Positivist movement. His works explored themes of social justice and the struggles of the working class.

The name Dobek has also been associated with various place names throughout Poland, such as the village of Dobek near Kalisz, and the town of Dobek in the Opole Voivodeship. These place names further reinforce the connection between the surname and its geographical origins.

While the Dobek surname has its roots in Poland, it has since spread to other parts of the world through immigration and migration patterns. However, its historical significance and ties to the Polish culture and language remain an integral part of its etymology and heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dobek

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Dobek.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

  1. White only
  2. Black only
  3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
  4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
  5. Hispanic
  6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Dobek was:

Race/EthnicityPercentageTotal Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only96.08%539
Non-Hispanic Black Only(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native0.00%0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races1.25%7
Hispanic Origin1.96%11

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Dobek has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

20102000Change (%)
White96.08%96.10%-0.02%
Black(S)%0.00%(S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander(S)%0.00%(S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.00%0.00%0.00%
Two or More Races1.25%2.04%-48.02%
Hispanic1.96%1.86%5.24%

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Dobek was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Dobek, please contact us.

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