Find out how popular the last name Horak is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Horak.

Horak, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Horak surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Horak in America

Horak is the 10809th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Horak surname appeared 2,947 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Horak.

We can also compare 2010 data for Horak to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Horak

The surname Horak is of Czech origin, derived from the word "hora" meaning "mountain" or "hill." It likely emerged as a locational surname, given to individuals who lived near or came from a mountainous region in what is now the Czech Republic.

The earliest recorded instances of the Horak surname can be traced back to the 15th century in Bohemia, a historical region that encompassed parts of modern-day Czech Republic, Germany, and Austria. The name appeared in various forms, such as Horak, Horáck, Horaczek, and Horaczky, reflecting regional variations in spelling and pronunciation.

One notable historical reference to the Horak surname is found in the records of the Hussite Wars (1419-1434), a significant religious and social conflict in Bohemia. Jan Horak, a prominent military leader and commander, played a crucial role in the Hussite armies during this turbulent period.

In the 16th century, the Horak surname gained further recognition when Václav Horak (1499-1568), a renowned Czech humanist scholar and writer, published several influential works on literature and theology. His contributions to the Czech language and cultural heritage were significant.

Another prominent figure bearing the Horak surname was Frantisek Horak (1801-1871), a Czech composer and conductor who made notable contributions to the development of Czech classical music in the 19th century.

The village of Horaky, located in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic, is believed to have derived its name from the Horak surname, further reinforcing the connection between the name and its geographical origins.

Other notable individuals with the Horak surname include:

1. Miroslav Horak (1923-2003), a Czech writer and poet known for his works exploring themes of existentialism and human experience.
2. Jan Horak (1901-1945), a Czechoslovak athlete who competed in the pole vault event at the 1924 and 1928 Summer Olympics.
3. Jaromir Horak (1924-2006), a Czech film director and screenwriter who gained recognition for his documentaries and feature films portraying life in post-World War II Czechoslovakia.
4. Jaroslav Horak (1933-2022), a renowned Czech sculptor and artist whose works were exhibited both nationally and internationally.
5. Jiri Horak (born 1981), a contemporary Czech footballer who played as a midfielder for various clubs in the Czech Republic and abroad.

While the Horak surname is predominantly associated with the Czech Republic, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and settlement, reflecting the diverse cultural and historical experiences of those who carry this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Horak

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Horak.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Horak was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Horak has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Horak was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Horak, please contact us.

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