2010
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Glik
A surname derived from a Slavic root meaning "clay" or "earth".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Glik. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Glik 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Glik in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Glik, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Glik
The surname GLIK is of Polish origin, originating in the late 15th or early 16th century. It is derived from the Polish word "glik," which means "clay" or "loam." This suggests that the name likely originated from a place name or a nickname related to someone who lived or worked near clay soil.
In historical records, the earliest known reference to the surname GLIK can be found in the Polish town of Krakow in the year 1512. The name is recorded as "Glikk" in a document from the city's municipal archives. This variation in spelling was common during that time period.
As the name spread across Poland, it took on different spellings and forms, such as "Glick," "Glyk," and "Glyck." These variations were often influenced by local dialects and regional accents.
One notable historical figure bearing the surname GLIK was Jan Glik, a Polish nobleman born in 1567. He was a prominent landowner and military commander who played a significant role in the Polish-Swedish War of the early 17th century.
Another early recorded instance of the name GLIK can be traced back to the village of Glikow, located in the Opole region of southern Poland. This place name, which translates to "Clay Village," likely contributed to the development and spread of the surname in the area.
In the 18th century, a family by the name of GLIK settled in the city of Gdansk (formerly Danzig), where they became successful merchants and traders. One member of this family, Jakub GLIK (1723-1798), was a respected ship owner and financier.
During the 19th century, the surname GLIK gained more prominence with the birth of Franciszek GLIK (1817-1891), a renowned Polish painter and art professor. His works depicting scenes from Polish history and folklore are considered important contributions to the country's cultural heritage.
Another notable figure was Józef GLIK (1890-1944), a Polish military officer and resistance fighter during World War II. He played a crucial role in the Warsaw Uprising against the German occupation and was executed by the Nazis in 1944.
While the surname GLIK is predominantly found in Poland, variations of the name have also been recorded in other Slavic countries, such as Russia and Ukraine, likely due to migration patterns and cultural exchange.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Glik
Among Census respondents with the surname Glik, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Glik 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 Glik surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.6% · 108
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Glik
Glik 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
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+9 bearers (+8.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 8,823 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.7%) | Up 8,823 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 Glik 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 | #156,044 | #147,221 | 5.7% |
| Count | 104 | 113 | 8.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Glik bearers went from 104 to 113 (+8.7% change). The surname moved up 8,823 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #147,221.
FAQ
Glik surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Glik?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Glik. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Glik?
Glik ranks #147,221 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 113 people with the surname Glik. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), 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 Glik.
Has Glik become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Glik went from 104 recorded bearers to 113. That is an increase of 9 (+8.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Glik?
Among Census respondents with the surname Glik, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (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 Glik in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.6% (108 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Glik appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.6%), Hispanic (3.5%), American Indian/Alaska Native (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 Glik (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 Glik mean?
A surname derived from a Slavic root meaning "clay" or "earth". 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 Glik (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 have the last name Glik?
See how many people have the surname Glik on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.