2000
#143,847
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Golisch
From a Polish place name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Golisch. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Golisch 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
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Golisch in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Golisch, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.6%) and Two or More Races (4.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Golisch
The surname Golisch originated in the regions of Germany and Poland, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "Golisch," which means "of Polish origin" or "relating to Poland." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to individuals who had connections or ties to the Polish lands.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Golisch surname can be found in the Liber Censuum, a tax register compiled in the 13th century for the Holy Roman Empire. This document lists several individuals with variations of the name, such as Golisschen and Golischen, residing in various towns and villages across present-day Germany and Poland.
During the 15th century, the Golisch name appeared in several historical records, including municipal registers and church documents from the towns of Breslau (now Wrocław, Poland) and Magdeburg (Germany). Notable individuals from this period include Hans Golisch, a merchant from Breslau born in 1432, and Margaretha Golisch, a landowner from Magdeburg born in 1472.
In the 16th century, the Golisch surname gained prominence with the birth of Nicolaus Golisch (1516-1592), a renowned scholar and theologian from Breslau. He studied at the University of Wittenberg and later became a prominent figure in the Protestant Reformation, writing several theological works and serving as a pastor in various churches across Germany.
Another notable individual with the Golisch surname was Johann Golisch (1625-1697), a German painter and engraver from Nuremberg. His works were widely celebrated during his lifetime, and several of his paintings and engravings can still be found in various museums and collections across Europe.
In the 18th century, the Golisch name continued to appear in historical records, such as the birth and marriage registers of various towns in Germany and Poland. One notable figure from this period was Friedrich Golisch (1738-1813), a German composer and organist who served as the court organist for the Prince-Bishop of Breslau.
As the centuries passed, the Golisch surname spread across Europe and beyond, carried by individuals who migrated or settled in different regions. While the name may have evolved in spelling or pronunciation over time, its origins and connection to the German and Polish lands remain an integral part of its rich history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Golisch
Among Census respondents with the surname Golisch, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.6%) and Two or More Races (4.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Golisch 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 Golisch surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.6% · 92
- Hispanic or Latino7.6% · 8
- Two or more races4.8% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Golisch
Golisch 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
#152,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
+1 bearers (+0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,781 places
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-2 bearers (-1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 361 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #143,847 | 106 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #152,628 | 107 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+0.9%) | Down 8,781 places |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.9%) | Down 361 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 Golisch 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 | #152,628 | #152,989 | -0.2% |
| Count | 107 | 105 | -1.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Golisch bearers went from 107 to 105 (-1.9% change). The surname moved down 361 positions in the national ranking, going from #152,628 to #152,989.
FAQ
Golisch surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Golisch?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Golisch. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Golisch?
Golisch ranks #152,989 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 105 people with the surname Golisch. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), 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 Golisch.
Has Golisch become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Golisch went from 107 recorded bearers to 105. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #152,628 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Golisch?
Among Census respondents with the surname Golisch, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.6%) and Two or More Races (4.8%). 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 Golisch in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.6% (92 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Golisch appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.6%), Hispanic (7.6%), Two or More Races (4.8%). 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 Golisch (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 Golisch mean?
From a Polish place name. 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 Golisch (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 are called Golisch?
If you just want to know how many people are called Golisch, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.