2010
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Korac
A surname from the Serbian language meaning shepherd or herdsman.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Korac. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Korac 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
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Korac in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Korac, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.3%) and Two or More Races (5.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Korac
The surname Korac is of Croatian origin, with its roots dating back to the 16th century. This surname was primarily found in the regions of Dalmatia and the Adriatic coast, where it likely originated from a Croatian word or phrase related to a person's occupation or physical attributes.
One theory suggests that Korac is derived from the Croatian word "korac," meaning "step" or "stride," possibly referring to someone who was known for their long strides or walking abilities. Another possibility is that it originated from the word "kora," meaning "bark" or "crust," which could have been a descriptive name for a person involved in forestry or related occupations.
In the earliest records, the name appeared with various spellings, such as Koracic, Koracevic, and Koracic, reflecting the regional dialects and variations in pronunciation. The first documented instances of the name can be traced back to the 16th century in the coastal towns of Split and Dubrovnik, where it was associated with prominent families and merchants.
One of the earliest known bearers of the Korac surname was Petar Korac, a merchant from Split who lived in the late 16th century. His name appeared in several trade records and contracts from that period, indicating the family's involvement in maritime commerce.
Another notable figure was Ivan Korac, a Croatian military officer who served in the Venetian army during the 17th century. He played a significant role in the defense of Dalmatia against Ottoman invasions and was mentioned in several chronicles and military dispatches from that time.
In the 18th century, the Korac family gained prominence in the town of Makarska, where they were landowners and involved in local governance. One member, Jure Korac (1740-1815), served as the town's mayor and was instrumental in the construction of several public buildings and infrastructure projects.
During the 19th century, the surname spread throughout Croatia and neighboring regions, with individuals bearing the name making contributions in various fields. Nikola Korac (1825-1892) was a renowned poet and writer from Dalmatia, whose works celebrated the region's cultural heritage and folklore.
In more recent times, the name Korac has been carried by several notable individuals, such as Žarko Korac (1909-1988), a Croatian economist and academic who made significant contributions to the field of economic theory and policy.
While the surname Korac has Croatian roots, it has also been found in other parts of the Balkans and Eastern Europe, likely due to migration patterns and intermarriage between different ethnic groups over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Korac
Among Census respondents with the surname Korac, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.3%) and Two or More Races (5.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Korac 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 Korac surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White80.2% · 93
- Hispanic or Latino10.3% · 12
- Two or more races5.2% · 6
- Black or African American3.4% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Korac
Korac 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
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+8 bearers (+7.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,504 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+7.4%) | Up 6,504 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 Korac 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 | #151,532 | #145,028 | 4.3% |
| Count | 108 | 116 | 7.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Korac bearers went from 108 to 116 (+7.4% change). The surname moved up 6,504 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #145,028.
FAQ
Korac surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Korac?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Korac. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Korac?
Korac ranks #145,028 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 116 people with the surname Korac. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), 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 Korac.
Has Korac become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Korac went from 108 recorded bearers to 116. That is an increase of 8 (+7.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #151,532 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Korac?
Among Census respondents with the surname Korac, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.3%) and Two or More Races (5.2%). 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 Korac in the 2020 Census, accounting for 80.2% (93 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Korac appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (80.2%), Hispanic (10.3%), Two or More Races (5.2%). 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 Korac (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 Korac mean?
A surname from the Serbian language meaning shepherd or herdsman. 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 Korac (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 people share the surname Korac?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.