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

Klimek, 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 Klimek surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Klimek in America

Klimek is the 9328th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Klimek surname appeared 3,492 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 Klimek.

We can also compare 2010 data for Klimek 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 Klimek

The surname Klimek is of Polish origin, emerging in the late medieval period around the 14th or 15th century. It is derived from the Slavic personal name Klement, itself a variation of the Latin name Clemens, meaning "mild" or "merciful." The name was likely adopted as a diminutive form, with the suffix "-ek" added to create the surname Klimek.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Klimek can be found in the Akta Grodzkie i Ziemskie, a collection of Polish court records dating back to the 15th century. These records mention individuals with the surname Klimek residing in various regions of Poland, such as the towns of Krakow and Lublin.

In the 16th century, the Klimek surname appears in the Metryka Koronna, a series of royal registers maintained by the Polish Crown Chancellery. These registers document various legal and administrative matters, including land grants and appointments, providing insight into the lives of individuals bearing the Klimek name during this period.

Notable individuals with the surname Klimek throughout history include Jan Klimek (1815-1892), a Polish painter and engraver known for his landscapes and genre scenes. Another prominent figure was Mieczysław Klimek (1910-1996), a Polish mathematician and logician who made significant contributions to the field of mathematical logic and set theory.

The Klimek surname can also be traced to certain place names in Poland, such as the village of Klimki in the Masovian Voivodeship. This village likely derived its name from the Klimek surname, indicating the presence of families bearing this name in the area.

Other notable individuals with the Klimek surname include Józef Klimek (1878-1941), a Polish Catholic priest and theologian, as well as Aleksander Klimek (1890-1977), a Polish military officer and participant in the Warsaw Uprising during World War II. Additionally, Wacław Klimek (1899-1967) was a Polish actor and theater director who played a significant role in the development of Polish theater in the 20th century.

While the Klimek surname has its roots in Poland, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period in Poland, where it emerged as a diminutive form of the personal name Klement, reflecting the rich linguistic and cultural heritage of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Klimek

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

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

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

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