Hejduk
A Polish and Ukrainian surname meaning "forest ranger" or "gamekeeper".
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 343 Americans carry the last name Hejduk. That puts it at #66,164 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.10 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 999,284 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hejduk surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
343
1 in 999,284
Census rank
#66,164
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
299
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 299 bearers of the surname Hejduk in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.10 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 66164th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hejduk, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.3%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hejduk
The surname Hejduk is of Czech and Polish origin, derived from the Czech and Polish words "hajduk" or "hejduk" meaning "brigand" or "cavalryman." It likely originated in the late 15th or early 16th century, during the time of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Habsburg Monarchy.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, the term "hajduk" referred to outlaws or bandits who roamed the Balkans and Carpathian Mountains, often engaging in guerrilla warfare against the Ottoman Empire. Some of these hajduks were later recruited into the military forces of various Central European kingdoms and principalities, becoming cavalrymen or light infantry.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Hejduk can be found in historical documents and records from the Czech lands and Poland during the 16th and 17th centuries, often referring to individuals who were either former hajduks or soldiers of similar background.
One notable historical figure bearing the surname Hejduk was Ondřej Hejduk (c. 1590-1639), a Czech soldier and leader of the Moravian Estates' army during the Thirty Years' War. Another was Jan Hejduk (c. 1640-1702), a Polish military leader and commander of the Hajduk forces in the Polish-Ottoman War.
In the 18th century, the surname Hejduk began to appear in various parts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, as well as in other regions of Central and Eastern Europe. One prominent individual was Karel Hejduk (1802-1856), a Czech writer and journalist who played a significant role in the Czech National Revival movement.
During the 19th century, the Hejduk surname gained further recognition with individuals such as Antonín Hejduk (1835-1923), a Czech architect and one of the leading figures of the Czech Neo-Renaissance architectural style, and Václav Hejduk (1868-1945), a Czech politician and member of the Austro-Hungarian Imperial Council.
Other notable individuals with the surname Hejduk include John Hejduk (1929-2000), an American architect and educator of Polish descent, and Martin Hejduk (born 1976), a Czech professional ice hockey player who played for several NHL teams, including the Colorado Avalanche and the Phoenix Coyotes.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hejduk
Among Census respondents with the surname Hejduk, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.3%.
The bar chart below shows how Hejduk bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Hejduk surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White98.3%
- Unknown or suppressed1.7%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Hejduk surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #69,201 | #66,164 | 4.4% |
| Count | 265 | 299 | 12.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.10 | 0.10 | 0.0% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Hejduk bearers went from 265 to 299 (+12.8% change). The surname moved up 3,037 positions in the national ranking, going from #69,201 to #66,164.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Hejduk
FAQ
Hejduk surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Hejduk?
The surname Hejduk holds position #66,164 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 343 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.10 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Hejduk surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hejduk, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.3%. These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.