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

Kocurek, 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 Kocurek surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kocurek in America

Kocurek is the 32079th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kocurek surname appeared 719 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 Kocurek.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kocurek 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 Kocurek

The surname Kocurek is of Polish origin, originating in the late medieval period around the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old Polish word "kocur," meaning "tomcat," suggesting an occupational name for someone who bred or worked with cats. Alternatively, it could have originated as a nickname for someone with cat-like qualities or behaviors.

The earliest known record of the name Kocurek can be traced back to the village of Kocurki, located in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship of north-central Poland. This village name likely served as the basis for the surname, with individuals taking on the name as a reference to their place of origin or residence.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Kocurek surname appears in the Akta Grodzkie i Ziemskie, a collection of historic court records from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, dating back to the 15th century. In these records, a certain Jan Kocurek is mentioned as a landowner in the village of Kocurki in the year 1457.

During the 16th century, a notable bearer of the Kocurek name was Mikołaj Kocurek, a prominent merchant and tradesman who operated in the city of Kraków. His success in business allowed him to acquire substantial wealth and property, as documented in the city's municipal records from that time period.

In the 18th century, Józef Kocurek (1734-1811) was a respected Polish military officer who served in the Kościuszko Uprising, a pivotal event in the struggle for Polish independence against the Russian Empire. His bravery and leadership during the uprising earned him recognition and a place in Polish history.

Another notable figure was Franciszek Kocurek (1825-1891), a renowned Polish linguist and scholar who made significant contributions to the study of Slavic languages. His research on the historical development and dialects of Polish and other Slavic tongues was widely acclaimed and influential in his field.

Towards the late 19th century, Wincenty Kocurek (1863-1938) was a prominent Polish architect and urban planner. He was responsible for designing several iconic buildings and public spaces in Warsaw, including the iconic Prudential Building, which still stands as a landmark in the city today.

These are just a few examples of individuals with the Kocurek surname who have left their mark on various aspects of Polish history and culture over the centuries. The name continues to be prevalent in Poland and among individuals of Polish descent around the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kocurek

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

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

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

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