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

Jelínek, 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 Jelínek surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jelínek in America

Jelínek is the 10894th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jelínek surname appeared 2,924 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 Jelínek.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jelínek 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 Jelínek

The surname Jelinek is of Czech origin, with its roots traced back to the late Middle Ages in the regions of Bohemia and Moravia, now part of the modern-day Czech Republic. The name is derived from the Czech word "jelen," meaning "deer" or "stag," suggesting that the earliest bearers of this surname may have been hunters or foresters associated with these animals.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Jelinek name can be found in the historical records of the town of Jičín, located in the Hradec Králové Region of Bohemia, dating back to the 15th century. The name appears in various spellings, such as Jelenk, Jelyenk, and Jelynek, reflecting the variations in local dialects and scribal practices of that time.

In the 16th century, the surname Jelinek gained prominence with the rise of Jan Jelinek (1522-1599), a renowned Czech humanist scholar, writer, and translator. His works, which included translations of ancient Greek and Roman texts, played a significant role in the development of the Czech Renaissance literary tradition.

Another notable figure with the Jelinek surname was Karel Jelinek (1822-1876), a Czech industrialist and entrepreneur who founded one of the first modern textile factories in Bohemia. His innovative approach to manufacturing and business management contributed to the economic growth of the region during the Industrial Revolution.

Moving into the 20th century, the name Jelinek is associated with the renowned Czech writer and playwright, Elfriede Jelinek (born 1946), who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2004. Her works, which often explore themes of feminism, social critique, and the human condition, have garnered international acclaim and recognition.

In the field of music, the Czech composer and conductor, Václav Jelinek (1930-2004), left a lasting impact on the classical music scene. He served as the chief conductor of the Prague Symphony Orchestra and was renowned for his interpretations of Czech and Romantic repertoires.

While these are just a few examples, the Jelinek surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout history, contributing to the rich cultural tapestry of the Czech lands and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jelínek

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

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

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

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