2000
#143,847
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Greczek
A Slavic surname derived from the Polish word "greczka" meaning buckwheat.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Greczek. 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 Greczek 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 Greczek 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 Greczek, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.7%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%) and Hispanic (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Greczek
The surname GRECZEK originates from Poland, having its roots in the late medieval period around the 14th century. It is believed to be derived from the Polish word "greczka," which means "buckwheat," indicating a possible connection to agriculture or the cultivation of buckwheat grain.
The name GRECZEK was primarily concentrated in the southern regions of Poland, particularly in areas around Krakow and the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. It is likely that the earliest bearers of this surname were involved in the production or trade of buckwheat, leading to the adoption of the name as a distinguishing identifier.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the GRECZEK surname can be found in the 16th-century tax records of the Krakow region, where several individuals bearing this name were listed as landowners or taxpayers. These records provide valuable insights into the geographical distribution and occupational backgrounds of those with the GRECZEK surname during that period.
In the 17th century, a notable figure named Jan GRECZEK (1620-1687) gained recognition as a prominent merchant and trader in the city of Krakow. His business dealings involved the export of Polish agricultural goods, including buckwheat, to other parts of Europe, further solidifying the association between the surname and the grain.
Another individual of note was Katarzyna GRECZEK (1745-1821), a noblewoman from the Lesser Poland region who was known for her philanthropic endeavors. She established a charitable foundation that provided support to impoverished families, particularly those involved in farming and agricultural pursuits.
The 19th century saw the emergence of Stanisław GRECZEK (1835-1902), a renowned agronomist and researcher who made significant contributions to the study and improvement of buckwheat cultivation methods. His work played a crucial role in enhancing the yield and quality of buckwheat crops, benefiting farmers across Poland.
Towards the latter part of the 19th century, the GRECZEK surname also appeared in records related to the Polish diaspora, as some individuals bearing this name migrated to other parts of Europe and North America in search of new opportunities.
One such individual was Tomasz GRECZEK (1870-1945), who settled in the United States and became a successful farmer in the state of Wisconsin, where he continued the tradition of cultivating buckwheat and other grains on his land.
Throughout its history, the GRECZEK surname has maintained a strong association with agriculture, particularly the cultivation and trade of buckwheat, reflecting the occupational backgrounds and geographic origins of its earliest bearers.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Greczek
Among Census respondents with the surname Greczek, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.7%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%) and Hispanic (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Greczek 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 Greczek surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.7% · 117
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Greczek
Greczek 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
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+14 bearers (+13.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,619 places
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
+1 bearers (+0.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,081 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 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | +14 bearers (+13.2%) | Up 4,619 places |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+0.8%) | Down 2,081 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 Greczek 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 | #139,228 | #141,309 | -1.5% |
| Count | 120 | 121 | 0.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 1.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Greczek bearers went from 120 to 121 (+0.8% change). The surname moved down 2,081 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #141,309.
FAQ
Greczek surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Greczek?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Greczek. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Greczek?
Greczek 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 Greczek. 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 Greczek.
Has Greczek become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Greczek went from 120 recorded bearers to 121. That is an increase of 1 (+0.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Greczek?
Among Census respondents with the surname Greczek, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.7%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%) and Hispanic (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 Greczek in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.7% (117 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Greczek appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.7%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%), Hispanic (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 Greczek (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 Greczek mean?
A Slavic surname derived from the Polish word "greczka" meaning buckwheat. 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 Greczek (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 Greczek?
If you just want to know how many people have the last name Greczek, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.