2000
#142,819
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kopaska
Polish surname derived from the term "kopaski" meaning small ditches or trenches.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Kopaska. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kopaska 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Kopaska in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kopaska, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kopaska
The surname Kopaska is of Polish origin, with roots dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the Kopernik region of present-day Poland, derived from the Polish word "kopa," meaning a heap or mound.
The earliest record of the Kopaska surname appears in a document from the town of Kopernik, dated 1587. It referred to a family of landowners who held a small estate near the town. Over time, the name spread to other parts of Poland as the family members migrated and established new branches.
In the late 17th century, the Kopaska name appeared in church records from the village of Krakow, where a prominent member of the family, Jan Kopaska (1638-1712), served as a respected blacksmith and craftsman. His work was renowned for its quality and attention to detail.
The 18th century saw the migration of several Kopaska families to other parts of Europe, including Germany and Austria. One notable figure from this period was Andrzej Kopaska (1721-1789), a Polish scholar and linguist who authored several influential works on the Slavic languages.
As the Kopaska surname spread across Europe, variations in spelling emerged, including Kopaska, Kopaskie, and Kopaskiy. These variations often reflected regional dialects and local pronunciation.
Another prominent individual bearing the Kopaska name was Katarzyna Kopaska (1856-1932), a Polish artist and painter celebrated for her landscapes and portraits. Her works were widely exhibited throughout Poland and garnered critical acclaim during her lifetime.
In the 20th century, the Kopaska name continued to be carried by notable individuals, such as Jerzy Kopaska (1912-1987), a Polish military officer who served with distinction during World War II and later became a respected historian and author.
While the Kopaska surname is not among the most common Polish surnames, it has a rich history and has been borne by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields, including art, scholarship, and military service.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kopaska
Among Census respondents with the surname Kopaska, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Kopaska 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 Kopaska surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.5% · 107
- Hispanic or Latino4.5% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kopaska
Kopaska 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
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-6 bearers (-5.6%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 16,893 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+11 bearers (+10.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 11,758 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #142,819 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | -6 bearers (-5.6%) | Down 16,893 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | +11 bearers (+10.9%) | Up 11,758 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 Kopaska 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 | #159,712 | #147,954 | 7.4% |
| Count | 101 | 112 | 10.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 24.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kopaska bearers went from 101 to 112 (+10.9% change). The surname moved up 11,758 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #147,954.
FAQ
Kopaska surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kopaska?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Kopaska. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Kopaska?
Kopaska ranks #147,954 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 112 people with the surname Kopaska. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Kopaska.
Has Kopaska become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kopaska went from 101 recorded bearers to 112. That is an increase of 11 (+10.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Kopaska?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kopaska, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%). 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 Kopaska in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.5% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kopaska appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.5%), Hispanic (4.5%). 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 Kopaska (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 Kopaska mean?
Polish surname derived from the term "kopaski" meaning small ditches or trenches. 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 Kopaska (0.04 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 Americans have the surname Kopaska?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.