2000
#124,109
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 128
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Grabko
A surname of Polish origin, potentially derived from the word "grab" meaning hornbeam or oak tree.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Grabko. 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 Grabko 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 Grabko 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 Grabko, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Grabko
The surname "GRABKO" has its origins in the Slavic region of Eastern Europe, specifically in the areas that are now modern-day Poland and Ukraine. It is believed to have emerged during the late Middle Ages, around the 14th or 15th century.
The name "GRABKO" is derived from the Slavic root word "grab," which means "hornbeam" or a type of hardy deciduous tree. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname, referring to someone who worked with or lived near hornbeam trees.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "GRABKO" can be found in a Polish parish register from the village of Grabkowo, located in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian region of Poland, dating back to the early 16th century. This village name itself is likely derived from the same root word, indicating a connection between the surname and the place.
In the 17th century, a notable figure with the surname "GRABKO" was Jan Grabko, a Polish nobleman and landowner who lived in the Lublin region of Poland from 1615 to 1687. Historical records indicate that he played a significant role in local affairs and was involved in disputes over land ownership.
Another individual of note was Michal Grabko, a Ukrainian Cossack leader who participated in the Khmelnytsky Uprising against Polish rule in the mid-17th century. He is mentioned in several chronicles and manuscripts from that time period, highlighting the involvement of those bearing the "GRABKO" surname in major historical events.
In the 19th century, Andrii Grabko, a Ukrainian writer and educator, made significant contributions to the development of Ukrainian literature and education. He was born in 1821 in the village of Hryhorivka, which was part of the Russian Empire at the time, and worked tirelessly to promote the use of the Ukrainian language in schools and publications.
Maria Grabko, a Polish artist and sculptor, gained recognition for her works in the early 20th century. Born in 1889 in Krakow, she studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow and exhibited her sculptures in various galleries across Europe.
While the surname "GRABKO" is relatively uncommon outside of Eastern Europe, it has a rich history and deep roots in the Slavic cultures of the region, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and experiences of those who have borne this name throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Grabko
Among Census respondents with the surname Grabko, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Grabko 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 Grabko surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.5% · 118
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Grabko
Grabko 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
#142,108
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
-11 bearers (-8.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 17,999 places
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
+4 bearers (+3.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 799 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #124,109 | 128 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #142,108 | 117 | 0.04 | -11 bearers (-8.6%) | Down 17,999 places |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.4%) | Up 799 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 Grabko 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 | #142,108 | #141,309 | 0.6% |
| Count | 117 | 121 | 3.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 1.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Grabko bearers went from 117 to 121 (+3.4% change). The surname moved up 799 positions in the national ranking, going from #142,108 to #141,309.
FAQ
Grabko surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Grabko?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Grabko. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Grabko?
Grabko 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 Grabko. 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 Grabko.
Has Grabko become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Grabko went from 117 recorded bearers to 121. That is an increase of 4 (+3.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #142,108 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Grabko?
Among Census respondents with the surname Grabko, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%). 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 Grabko in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.5% (118 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Grabko appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.5%), Two or More Races (1.7%), American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%). 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 Grabko (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 Grabko mean?
A surname of Polish origin, potentially derived from the word "grab" meaning hornbeam or oak tree. 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 Grabko (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 Americans have the surname Grabko?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.