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

Kowalik, 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 Kowalik surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kowalik in America

Kowalik is the 18994th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kowalik surname appeared 1,435 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 Kowalik.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kowalik 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 Kowalik

The surname KOWALIK originated in Poland and is derived from the Polish word "kowal", which means "blacksmith". This suggests that the name was originally an occupational surname given to blacksmiths or those involved in metalworking trades.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the KOWALIK surname can be found in the 16th century Polish census records, where it was often spelled as "Kowalik" or variations like "Kowalyk" or "Kowalczyk". The name was particularly prevalent in the regions of Mazovia and Lesser Poland, which were centers of metalworking and blacksmithing during that time.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the KOWALIK surname appears in various historical documents and records, such as church registers, tax records, and land deeds. For instance, a Jan KOWALIK is mentioned in the 1692 parish records of Krakow as a blacksmith residing in the city's Old Town district.

One notable individual with the KOWALIK surname was Wojciech KOWALIK (1712-1782), a Polish painter and engraver who was active in the Rococo style. His works can be found in churches and museums across Poland, particularly in the city of Krakow.

Another prominent figure was Józef KOWALIK (1835-1911), a Polish politician and activist who played a key role in the struggle for Polish independence from Russian rule. He was a member of the Polish National Committee and participated in the January Uprising of 1863-1864.

In the early 20th century, Bronisław KOWALIK (1887-1940) was a distinguished Polish engineer and inventor. He is credited with designing and constructing some of the first reinforced concrete bridges and structures in Poland, including the iconic Poniatowski Bridge in Warsaw.

The KOWALIK surname also gained recognition through the achievements of Stanisław KOWALIK (1925-2008), a renowned Polish mathematician and computer scientist. He made significant contributions to the fields of functional analysis, numerical analysis, and computational mathematics.

Finally, Tadeusz KOWALIK (1925-2012) was a prominent Polish economist and academic. He served as the rector of the Warsaw School of Economics and was a member of the Polish Academy of Sciences, contributing to the development of economic theory and policy in Poland.

While the KOWALIK surname originated from an occupational description, it has become a well-established Polish name with a rich history and notable individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kowalik

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

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

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

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