2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Firlit
A surname derived from an old Polish word meaning "flute" or "pipe."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Firlit. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Firlit 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
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Firlit in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Firlit, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Firlit
The surname Firlit originates from Poland, with its roots dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Polish word "firlić," which means "to twist" or "to twirl." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with an occupation or a personal characteristic related to spinning or twisting.
One of the earliest known records of the Firlit surname can be found in the parish records of the village of Tarnów, located in the Lesser Poland region. In the year 1587, a man named Jan Firlit was listed as a resident of this village, indicating the presence of the name in that area during that time period.
The Firlit surname has also been documented in various historical records and manuscripts throughout Poland's history. For instance, in the 17th century, a nobleman named Jakub Firlit was mentioned in the court records of the town of Kraków, where he was involved in a legal dispute over land ownership.
The 18th century saw the emergence of several notable individuals bearing the Firlit surname. One such person was Michał Firlit, a renowned artist and sculptor who lived from 1723 to 1789. His works can still be found adorning various churches and historical buildings throughout Poland.
Another prominent figure was Franciszek Firlit, a military officer who fought in the Kościuszko Uprising against the Russian Empire in 1794. He was born in 1768 and played a significant role in the struggle for Polish independence.
During the 19th century, the Firlit surname spread beyond the borders of Poland. In 1846, a man named Stanisław Firlit emigrated from Poland to the United States, settling in the state of Pennsylvania. He later became a respected member of the local Polish-American community.
Towards the end of the 19th century, a writer and journalist named Zofia Firlit gained recognition for her literary works and contributions to various Polish publications. She was born in 1875 and played an important role in promoting Polish culture and literature during her lifetime.
Throughout its history, the Firlit surname has been associated with various place names and locations within Poland, such as the villages of Firlejówka and Firlejów, which may have been named after individuals bearing this surname in the past.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Firlit
Among Census respondents with the surname Firlit, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Firlit 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 Firlit surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.4% · 113
- Two or more races3.3% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Firlit
Firlit 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
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,999 places
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
+16 bearers (+15.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 13,598 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 9,999 places |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | +16 bearers (+15.2%) | Up 13,598 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 Firlit 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 | #141,309 | 8.8% |
| Count | 105 | 121 | 15.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 1.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Firlit bearers went from 105 to 121 (+15.2% change). The surname moved up 13,598 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #141,309.
FAQ
Firlit surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Firlit?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Firlit. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Firlit?
Firlit ranks #141,309 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 121 people with the surname Firlit. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), 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 Firlit.
Has Firlit become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Firlit went from 105 recorded bearers to 121. That is an increase of 16 (+15.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Firlit?
Among Census respondents with the surname Firlit, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%). 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 Firlit in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.4% (113 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Firlit appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.4%), Two or More Races (3.3%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%). 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 Firlit (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 Firlit mean?
A surname derived from an old Polish word meaning "flute" or "pipe." 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 Firlit (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 people share the surname Firlit?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.