2010
#141,140
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kopcak
An Eastern European surname possibly derived from the word "kopec" meaning "hill" or "mound".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 119 Americans carry the last name Kopcak. That puts it at #153,590 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,880,289 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kopcak 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
119
1 in 2,880,289
Census rank
#153,590
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
104
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 104 bearers of the surname Kopcak in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 153590th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kopcak, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kopcak
The surname KOPCAK is believed to have originated in the present-day region of Croatia in the late 15th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old Croatian word "kopca," which referred to a type of clasp or button used in clothing. The name may have initially been an occupational surname given to those who made or sold these clasps.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the KOPCAK surname can be found in a registry of births in the town of Zadar, Croatia, dating back to 1492. The entry lists a child born to Ivan and Mara KOPCAK. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the late 15th century.
In the 16th century, the name appears in various historical documents from the Croatian coastal regions, particularly in the areas around the cities of Split and Dubrovnik. These records often mention individuals with the KOPCAK surname engaged in various trades and professions, such as tailoring, weaving, and leatherworking – occupations that would have involved the use of clasps and buttons.
A notable figure bearing the KOPCAK surname was Matej KOPCAK (1565-1631), a merchant and ship owner from the island of Hvar. Matej was known for his extensive trade networks throughout the Mediterranean region and his involvement in the lucrative salt trade.
Another prominent individual was Kata KOPCAK (1720-1798), a celebrated poet and writer from the city of Dubrovnik. Kata's works, which often explored themes of love and nature, were widely praised during her lifetime and contributed to the cultural renaissance of the region.
In the late 18th century, the KOPCAK surname began to spread beyond Croatia as members of the family migrated to other parts of Europe and the Americas. One notable figure from this period was Josip KOPCAK (1782-1856), a Croatian-born engineer who played a crucial role in the construction of the first railway line in Austria.
Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, the KOPCAK surname can be found in various historical records across Europe, including census data, military records, and immigration documents. Individuals bearing this name contributed to various fields, including academia, arts, and politics.
It is worth noting that while the KOPCAK surname is most commonly associated with Croatia, variations of the name can also be found in other parts of the Balkan region, such as Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, possibly due to migration and cultural exchange.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kopcak
Among Census respondents with the surname Kopcak, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Kopcak 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 Kopcak surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.3% · 97
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
- Two or more races1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kopcak
Kopcak appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#153,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-14 bearers (-11.9%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 12,450 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #141,140 | 118 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #153,590 | 104 | 0.03 | -14 bearers (-11.9%) | Down 12,450 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 Kopcak 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 | #141,140 | #153,590 | -8.8% |
| Count | 118 | 104 | -11.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kopcak bearers went from 118 to 104 (-11.9% change). The surname moved down 12,450 positions in the national ranking, going from #141,140 to #153,590.
FAQ
Kopcak surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kopcak?
Name Census estimates that about 119 living Americans carry the surname Kopcak. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,880,289 residents.
How common is Kopcak?
Kopcak ranks #153,590 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 104 people with the surname Kopcak. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (119), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Kopcak.
Has Kopcak become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kopcak went from 118 recorded bearers to 104. That is a decrease of 14 (-11.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #141,140 to #153,590.
What does the Census say about the background of Kopcak?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kopcak, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%). 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 Kopcak in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.3% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kopcak appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.3%), Hispanic (2.9%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%). 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 Kopcak (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 Kopcak mean?
An Eastern European surname possibly derived from the word "kopec" meaning "hill" or "mound". 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 Kopcak (0.03 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 Kopcak?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans have the surname Kopcak at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.