2000
#32,227
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 674
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.25
Very Rare Last name
Klocek
A Polish surname derived from the word for small log or block of wood.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 755 Americans carry the last name Klocek. That puts it at #36,570 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.22 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 453,979 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Klocek surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
755
1 in 453,979
Census rank
#36,570
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
658
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 658 bearers of the surname Klocek in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.22 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 36570th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Klocek, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.2%) and Two or More Races (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Klocek
The surname Klocek originates from Poland, with records indicating its use as early as the 16th century. It is derived from the Polish word "klocek," meaning a small block or cube of wood. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a woodworker or carpenter.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Klocek appears in the Akta Grodzkie, a collection of court records from the town of Sanok in southeastern Poland, dating back to the late 16th century. These records mention a Jan Klocek, likely a resident of the town or surrounding area.
The name Klocek can also be traced to the village of Klocki, located in the Masovian Voivodeship of central Poland. It is possible that the surname originated from this place name, with early bearers hailing from or being associated with this village.
A notable historical figure bearing the Klocek surname was Stanisław Klocek, a Polish writer and poet who lived in the 17th century. His works, though not widely known today, provide insight into the literary culture of the time and the use of the Klocek name during that period.
Another individual of note was Kazimierz Klocek (1876-1949), a Polish architect and urban planner who played a significant role in the development of modern-day Warsaw. His designs and contributions to the city's infrastructure and urban planning left a lasting impact on the capital's architectural landscape.
In the 19th century, the Klocek surname can be found in records from various regions of Poland, including the Kraków area and the Silesian region. One notable Klocek from this time was Jan Klocek (1829-1907), a Polish priest and educator who established several schools and educational institutions in the Silesian region.
Another individual worth mentioning is Józef Klocek (1902-1984), a Polish painter and artist who was part of the Polish Colorist movement in the early 20th century. His vibrant and expressive works showcased the unique style of this artistic movement and contributed to the cultural landscape of Poland during that time.
While the Klocek surname is primarily associated with Poland, it has also been found in other Slavic countries, such as Ukraine and Belarus, likely due to migration and population movements throughout history. However, the name's origins and earliest recorded instances can be traced back to various regions of Poland.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Klocek
Among Census respondents with the surname Klocek, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.2%) and Two or More Races (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Klocek bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Klocek surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.9% · 618
- Hispanic or Latino3.2% · 21
- Two or more races2.3% · 15
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 2
- Black or African American0.2% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.2% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Klocek
Klocek appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#33,695
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 676
+2 bearers (+0.3%)
Per 100,000 0.23
Rank movement Down 1,468 places
2020
#36,570
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 658
-18 bearers (-2.7%)
Per 100,000 0.22
Rank movement Down 2,875 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #32,227 | 674 | 0.25 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #33,695 | 676 | 0.23 | +2 bearers (+0.3%) | Down 1,468 places |
| 2020 | #36,570 | 658 | 0.22 | -18 bearers (-2.7%) | Down 2,875 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Klocek surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #33,695 | #36,570 | -8.5% |
| Count | 676 | 658 | -2.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.23 | 0.22 | -4.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Klocek bearers went from 676 to 658 (-2.7% change). The surname moved down 2,875 positions in the national ranking, going from #33,695 to #36,570.
FAQ
Klocek surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Klocek?
Name Census estimates that about 755 living Americans carry the surname Klocek. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 453,979 residents.
How common is Klocek?
Klocek ranks #36,570 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.22 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 658 people with the surname Klocek. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (755), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.22 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.22 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Klocek.
Has Klocek become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Klocek went from 676 recorded bearers to 658. That is a decrease of 18 (-2.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #33,695 to #36,570.
What does the Census say about the background of Klocek?
Among Census respondents with the surname Klocek, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.2%) and Two or More Races (2.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Klocek in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.9% (618 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Klocek appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.9%), Hispanic (3.2%), Two or More Races (2.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Klocek (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Klocek mean?
A Polish surname derived from the word for small log or block of wood. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Klocek (0.22 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Klocek?
See how many people have the last name Klocek on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.