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

Karol, 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 Karol surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Karol in America

Karol is the 22733rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Karol surname appeared 1,127 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 Karol.

We can also compare 2010 data for Karol 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 Karol

The surname Karol is of Polish origin, deriving from the Slavic root "kar" meaning "short" or "small." It is believed to have emerged as a nickname for a person of short stature during the medieval period in Poland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Karol can be found in the 14th-century Tarnów grodskie (court) records, where a certain Jan Karol is mentioned as a witness in a legal proceeding. This suggests that the name was already in use as a hereditary surname by that time.

In the 15th century, the name appears in the Metryka Koronna, a collection of official documents from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. A notable individual bearing the name was Jan Karol (c. 1430-1492), a Polish nobleman and courtier who served as a diplomat and envoy to various European courts.

During the Renaissance, the Karol surname gained wider recognition with the birth of Mikołaj Karol (1551-1603), a Polish poet and translator who was part of the Golden Age of Polish literature. His works, which included translations of ancient Roman poets, were highly influential in shaping the Polish language and literary tradition.

The 17th century saw the rise of another prominent figure with the Karol surname, Jan Karol Chodkiewicz (1560-1621), a Polish-Lithuanian military commander and hetman (military leader) who played a crucial role in the Polish-Muscovite War and the Polish-Swedish War. His military exploits and strategic leadership earned him a place in Polish history as one of the most celebrated military figures of his time.

In the 18th century, the Karol surname gained international recognition through the life and accomplishments of Stanisław Karol Kostka Potocki (1755-1821), a Polish nobleman, politician, and writer. He served as a member of the Polish Sejm (parliament) and was an influential figure during the Polish Enlightenment, advocating for political reforms and social progress.

While these are just a few examples, the Karol surname has a rich history and has been borne by numerous notable individuals throughout the centuries, reflecting its deep roots in Polish culture and society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Karol

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

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

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

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