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

Kovalski, 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 Kovalski surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kovalski in America

Kovalski is the 58182nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kovalski surname appeared 349 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 Kovalski.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kovalski 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 Kovalski

The surname Kovalski has its origins in Poland, with the earliest records dating back to the 15th century. It is derived from the Polish word "kowal," which means "blacksmith" or "metalworker." The suffix "-ski" indicates a patronymic form, suggesting that the name was originally used to identify the son of a blacksmith.

In the Middle Ages, blacksmiths played a crucial role in society, as they were responsible for crafting and repairing tools, weapons, and various metal objects. The Kovalski name was likely adopted by the sons of skilled blacksmiths, reflecting their family trade and lineage.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Metryka Koronna, a collection of historical documents from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, dating back to the 16th century. The name appears in various spellings, such as Kowalski, Kowalczyk, and Kowalewski, which were regional variations.

Historically, the Kovalski name has been associated with several notable figures. In the 17th century, Jan Kovalski was a renowned Polish painter and engraver known for his religious works and portraits of nobility. Another notable figure was Wacław Kovalski, a Polish military leader who fought in the Kosciuszko Uprising against the Russian Empire in 1794.

In the 19th century, Stanisław Kovalski was a Polish composer and conductor who contributed significantly to the development of Polish classical music. His works included operas, symphonies, and chamber music pieces.

The 20th century saw the rise of several prominent individuals with the Kovalski surname. Antoni Kovalski was a Polish physicist and engineer who made significant contributions to the field of optics and was recognized for his work on the theory of light polarization.

Another notable figure was Janina Kovalska, a Polish actress and theater director who gained fame for her performances in various plays and films during the mid-20th century.

Kovalski is not only a Polish surname but has also been adopted by families of Slavic descent in other parts of Eastern Europe and beyond. The name has undergone various spelling variations, such as Kovalsky, Kovalchik, and Kovalchuk, reflecting regional influences and adaptations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kovalski

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

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

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

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