2000
#11,217
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,591
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.96
Rare Last name
Gajewski
Derived from the Polish word "gaj," referring to someone who lived near or worked in a small grove or wood.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,674 Americans carry the last name Gajewski. That puts it at #12,644 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.78 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 128,180 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gajewski 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Gajewski with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.7K
1 in 128,180
Census rank
#12,644
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,332 bearers of the surname Gajewski in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.78 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12644th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gajewski, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gajewski
The surname Gajewski is of Polish origin, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Polish word "gaj," which means a small oak forest or grove. The suffix "-ewski" indicates a possessive form, suggesting that the name originally referred to someone who owned or lived near a small oak forest.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gajewski can be found in the Tczew Land and Mortgage Registers from the 15th century. These historical records document various land transactions and property ownership in the region of Tczew, located in modern-day northern Poland.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Gajewski name appeared in several Polish chronicles and historical documents, often associated with noble families and landowners. One notable figure was Jan Gajewski (1550-1623), a Polish nobleman and military commander who fought in the Polish-Swedish wars.
In the 18th century, the Gajewski name gained prominence in the literary and artistic circles of Poland. Ignacy Gajewski (1733-1799) was a renowned Polish painter and engraver, known for his religious and historical works. His son, Hipolit Gajewski (1766-1818), followed in his footsteps and became a respected painter and art teacher.
Moving into the 19th century, the Gajewski name continued to be associated with notable individuals in various fields. Aleksander Gajewski (1826-1892) was a Polish architect and engineer, responsible for designing several prominent buildings in Warsaw, including the Warsaw Philharmonic.
Another figure of note was Franciszek Gajewski (1876-1964), a Polish geologist and paleontologist who made significant contributions to the study of fossils and stratigraphy in the Carpathian Mountains.
Throughout history, variations of the Gajewski name have also been recorded, such as Gajowski, Gajowski, and Gajowczyk. These variations often reflect regional dialects or minor spelling differences.
While the Gajewski surname is most prevalent in Poland, it has also been carried by individuals of Polish descent around the world, particularly in areas with significant Polish immigration, such as the United States, Canada, and other parts of Europe.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gajewski
Among Census respondents with the surname Gajewski, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Gajewski 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 Gajewski surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.4% · 2,179
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 76
- Two or more races2.1% · 48
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 19
- Black or African American0.3% · 8
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gajewski
Gajewski 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
#12,048
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,588
-3 bearers (-0.1%)
Per 100,000 0.88
Rank movement Down 831 places
2020
#12,644
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,332
-256 bearers (-9.9%)
Per 100,000 0.78
Rank movement Down 596 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,217 | 2,591 | 0.96 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,048 | 2,588 | 0.88 | -3 bearers (-0.1%) | Down 831 places |
| 2020 | #12,644 | 2,332 | 0.78 | -256 bearers (-9.9%) | Down 596 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 Gajewski 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 | #12,048 | #12,644 | -4.9% |
| Count | 2,588 | 2,332 | -9.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.88 | 0.78 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gajewski bearers went from 2,588 to 2,332 (-9.9% change). The surname moved down 596 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,048 to #12,644.
FAQ
Gajewski surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gajewski?
Name Census estimates that about 2,674 living Americans carry the surname Gajewski. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 128,180 residents.
How common is Gajewski?
Gajewski ranks #12,644 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.78 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,332 people with the surname Gajewski. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,674), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.78 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.78 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Gajewski.
Has Gajewski become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gajewski went from 2,588 recorded bearers to 2,332. That is a decrease of 256 (-9.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #12,048 to #12,644.
What does the Census say about the background of Gajewski?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gajewski, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) 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 Gajewski in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.4% (2,179 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gajewski appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.4%), Hispanic (3.3%), 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 Gajewski (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 Gajewski mean?
Derived from the Polish word "gaj," referring to someone who lived near or worked in a small grove or wood. 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 Gajewski (0.78 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 Gajewski?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Gajewski is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.