2010
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Dorobek
A Polish surname referring to one's possessions or accomplishments over a lifetime.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Dorobek. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Dorobek 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Dorobek in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Dorobek, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Dorobek
The surname Dorobek originates from Poland and is believed to have emerged in the 14th century. It is derived from the Polish word "dorobek," which means "acquisition" or "wealth." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who was regarded as prosperous or successful in their endeavors.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Dorobek name can be found in the Duchy of Krakow's archives from the late 14th century. These records mention a merchant named Jan Dorobek who traded in various goods, including textiles and spices. His success in business likely contributed to the establishment of the Dorobek surname within the region.
In the 16th century, the name appears in several historical documents from the town of Poznan, where a family of landowners and nobles carried the Dorobek name. One notable member of this family was Tomasz Dorobek (1520-1589), who served as a magistrate and played a significant role in the town's governance.
The Dorobek surname can also be traced back to the village of Dorobka, located in the Lublin region of eastern Poland. It is believed that some individuals may have adopted the name based on their association with this particular place.
In the 18th century, a prominent figure bearing the Dorobek name was Katarzyna Dorobek (1745-1810), a renowned playwright and poet whose works were widely acclaimed during her lifetime. She is considered one of the pioneers of Polish theater and made significant contributions to the country's cultural heritage.
Another notable individual with the Dorobek surname was Andrzej Dorobek (1879-1952), a renowned archaeologist and historian. He dedicated his life to studying and preserving the rich cultural heritage of Poland, particularly through his extensive research on ancient settlements and artifacts.
Throughout history, the Dorobek surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, landowners, artists, and scholars. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Poland, the name has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and various historical events.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Dorobek
Among Census respondents with the surname Dorobek, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Dorobek 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 Dorobek surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.3% · 102
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Dorobek
Dorobek 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
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
+2 bearers (+1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,268 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.9%) | Up 3,268 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 Dorobek 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 | #154,907 | #151,639 | 2.1% |
| Count | 105 | 107 | 1.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Dorobek bearers went from 105 to 107 (+1.9% change). The surname moved up 3,268 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #151,639.
FAQ
Dorobek surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Dorobek?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Dorobek. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Dorobek?
Dorobek ranks #151,639 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 107 people with the surname Dorobek. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), 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 Dorobek.
Has Dorobek become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Dorobek went from 105 recorded bearers to 107. That is an increase of 2 (+1.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Dorobek?
Among Census respondents with the surname Dorobek, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%). 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 Dorobek in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.3% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Dorobek appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.3%), Hispanic (3.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%). 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 Dorobek (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 Dorobek mean?
A Polish surname referring to one's possessions or accomplishments over a lifetime. 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 Dorobek (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 Americans have the surname Dorobek?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.