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

Kotarba, 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 Kotarba surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kotarba in America

Kotarba is the 80419th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kotarba surname appeared 236 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 Kotarba.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kotarba 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 Kotarba

The surname KOTARBA is of Polish origin, tracing its roots back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the village of Kotarby, located in the historic region of Lesser Poland. The name itself is derived from the Slavic word "kotar," which means "cauldron" or "kettle." This suggests that the surname may have initially referred to a profession or occupation associated with metalworking or pottery.

One of the earliest known references to the KOTARBA name can be found in the Księga Henrykowska, a medieval manuscript dating back to the 13th century. This document, which contains records of land ownership and transactions, mentions several individuals bearing the KOTARBA surname in the vicinity of Wrocław (Breslau).

In the 16th century, the KOTARBA name appears in the Polish Armorial Generale, a compendium of noble and gentry families. This suggests that some branches of the KOTARBA family had achieved a certain level of prominence and social status by that time. The armorial records also indicate that the KOTARBA coat of arms featured a cauldron or kettle, further reinforcing the name's connection to metalworking or pottery.

One notable figure in the history of the KOTARBA surname was Jan Kotarba (c. 1470-1543), a Polish humanist scholar and diplomat who served as a secretary to King Sigismund I the Old. Kotarba played a significant role in the cultural and intellectual life of the Polish Renaissance and was known for his extensive correspondence with prominent thinkers of the time.

Another prominent individual bearing the KOTARBA name was Franciszek Kotarba (1903-1996), a Polish geologist and paleontologist. He made important contributions to the study of fossil fuels and was a respected researcher at the Polish Academy of Sciences.

In the 19th century, the KOTARBA surname can be found in various historical records, such as parish registers and census documents, in regions like Galicia, Silesia, and the Krakow area. This suggests that the name had spread across different parts of Poland by that time.

Other notable individuals with the KOTARBA surname include Józef Kotarba (1828-1888), a Polish painter and art teacher; Tadeusz Kotarba (1934-2022), a Polish actor and theater director; and Elżbieta Kotarba (born 1943), a Polish volleyball player who competed in the 1968 Summer Olympics.

While the KOTARBA surname has its roots in medieval Poland, it has since spread to other parts of the world through emigration and diaspora communities. However, the name's rich history and connections to Polish culture and traditions remain an integral part of its identity.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kotarba

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

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

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

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