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

Jilek, 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 Jilek surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jilek in America

Jilek is the 27059th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jilek surname appeared 895 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 Jilek.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jilek 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 Jilek

The surname Jilek is of Czech origin, emerging in the late medieval period around the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Czech word "jilka," which translates to "little lime tree" or "linden tree." This connection suggests that the name may have originated as a descriptive surname, possibly referring to someone who lived near a lime tree or a grove of lime trees.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Jilek surname can be found in the Bohemian land records from the late 15th century. These records document a certain Jan Jilek, a landowner in the village of Stračov near Prague, in the year 1487. This entry provides evidence of the name's existence and usage during that era.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Jilek surname. One such figure was Václav Jilek (1696-1773), a Czech Catholic priest and theologian who served as the rector of the University of Prague and authored several works on theology and philosophy.

Another prominent individual was Miroslav Jilek (1925-2007), a Czech composer and conductor who gained international recognition for his orchestral and choral works. He served as the principal conductor of the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra and received numerous accolades for his contributions to classical music.

In the realm of literature, the name Jilek is associated with Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926), one of the most renowned German-language poets of the 20th century. Rilke's maternal grandmother was a member of the Jilek family, hailing from the region of Bohemia.

The Jilek surname has also been connected to various place names and their older spellings. For instance, the village of Jílkov (formerly spelled as Jilkow) in the Czech Republic is believed to have derived its name from the Jilek surname, possibly indicating a historical connection or settlement by individuals bearing this name.

Another notable figure with the Jilek surname was Jan Jilek (1926-2012), a Czech artist and illustrator known for his intricate wood engravings and illustrations for children's books. His work earned him numerous awards and recognition within the Czech Republic and abroad.

While the Jilek surname may have originated from a descriptive term related to lime trees, it has since become a well-established name in the Czech Republic and has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artists, and religious figures.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jilek

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

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

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

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