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

Dvorak, 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 Dvorak surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dvorak in America

Dvorak is the 4562nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dvorak surname appeared 7,771 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Dvorak.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dvorak 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.

The history of the last name Dvorak

The surname Dvorak originated in the Czech Republic, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Czech word "dvor," which means "courtyard" or "farmstead." The name likely referred to someone who lived or worked on a farmstead or manor.

Dvorak is a common surname in the Czech Republic, as well as in other parts of Central and Eastern Europe. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in medieval Czech documents and records, often spelled as "Dworák" or "Dworak."

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Václav Dworak, a Czech nobleman who lived in the 14th century. He was mentioned in several historical documents from that time period, including land records and legal documents.

In the 15th century, the name appeared in the records of the Hussite Wars, a series of religious and political conflicts in Bohemia (now part of the Czech Republic). Several Dvoraks were listed as participants in these wars, which played a significant role in shaping the region's history.

The Dvorak surname gained further prominence in the 19th century with the rise of the Czech composer Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904). He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era and is known for his incorporation of Bohemian and Moravian folk melodies into his works.

Another notable figure with the Dvorak surname was the American educator and writer Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk (1850-1937), who served as the first President of Czechoslovakia from 1918 to 1935. His mother's maiden name was Dvorak, and he was born in the town of Hodonín, which was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the time.

In the 20th century, the Dvorak surname was also associated with the American computer scientist and philosopher William Dvorak (1921-2008), who co-invented the Dvorak Simplified Keyboard layout, an alternative to the standard QWERTY keyboard.

While the Dvorak surname has its roots in the Czech Republic, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and intermarriage. However, the name's origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the Czech lands and the rich cultural heritage of Central Europe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dvorak

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

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 Dvorak was:

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 Dvorak has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Dvorak was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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