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

Jelen, 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 Jelen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jelen in America

Jelen is the 37341st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jelen surname appeared 597 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Jelen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jelen 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 Jelen

The surname JELEN is of Slavic origin, specifically from Poland and the surrounding regions. Its earliest known use dates back to the 11th century, derived from the Slavic word "jelen" which means "deer" or "stag." This connection suggests that the name may have originated as a nickname or occupational reference for someone who worked with deer or lived in an area where deer were prevalent.

In the 14th century, records from the town of Krakow in Poland mention several individuals with the surname JELEN, indicating that it was well-established in the region by that time. The name also appears in various spellings, such as Jelenski and Jelenič, reflecting regional linguistic variations.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was Jakub JELEN, a merchant and landowner who lived in the town of Toruń, Poland, in the late 15th century. His family's prominence is evidenced by their ownership of several properties and businesses in the area.

In the 16th century, the JELEN surname can be found in historical documents from the Czech Republic, where it was likely adopted by migrants or families with ties to the Polish regions. One notable bearer of the name was Jan JELEN, a renowned Czech artist and painter who lived from 1522 to 1587.

The 17th century saw the JELEN name spread further across Central and Eastern Europe, with records showing individuals bearing this surname in Hungary, Slovakia, and parts of Germany. A prominent figure of this era was Michal JELEN, a Slovak mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics (1623-1678).

As the centuries progressed, the JELEN surname continued to be found across various Slavic regions, with some bearers achieving notable status. In the 19th century, Vaclav JELEN (1828-1901) was a Czech writer and journalist who played an influential role in the Czech National Revival movement.

Another noteworthy individual was Józef JELEN, a Polish military officer and politician who lived from 1899 to 1960. He served as a general in the Polish Army during World War II and later held political positions in the postwar government.

While the JELEN surname has its roots in the Slavic regions, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural diffusion. However, its origins and historical significance remain firmly rooted in the linguistic and cultural traditions of Central and Eastern Europe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jelen

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

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 Jelen 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 Jelen 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 Jelen was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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