2000
#147,095
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kresnak
A surname derived from the Slavic root meaning "cross".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 116 Americans carry the last name Kresnak. That puts it at #155,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,954,779 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kresnak 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
116
1 in 2,954,779
Census rank
#155,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
101
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 101 bearers of the surname Kresnak in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kresnak, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kresnak
The surname Kresnak is believed to have originated in the Central European region, particularly in areas encompassing modern-day Slovakia and Poland. Its roots can be traced back to the 15th century, although the precise origin remains uncertain. Some scholars suggest that the name may have derived from the Slavic word "kres," meaning "spark" or "fire," potentially indicating an occupation or location associated with blacksmithing or metalworking.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Kresnak name can be found in a document from the town of Kežmarok, located in present-day Slovakia, dated around 1480. This document mentions a certain Ondrej Kresnak, who was a local landowner and farmer. The name appears to have been relatively widespread in the region during that era, with variations in spelling such as Kresnak, Kresniak, and Kresnok.
In the 16th century, the Kresnak surname can be found in historical records from the city of Krakow, Poland. A notable figure bearing this name was Jan Kresnak, a merchant and trader who lived from approximately 1530 to 1598. His business dealings and travels are documented in various archival materials, providing insights into the commercial activities of the time.
As the centuries progressed, the Kresnak name continued to appear in various regions of Central Europe. In the early 18th century, a notable figure was Michal Kresnak, a Catholic priest and scholar who was born in 1692 in the town of Ružomberok, Slovakia. He authored several theological works and served as a rector at the University of Trnava.
Another individual of significance was Jozef Kresnak, born in 1812 in the village of Hronec, Slovakia. He was a prominent figure in the Slovak National Revival movement and played a crucial role in promoting the Slovak language and culture. His contributions as a writer, poet, and educator have left a lasting impact on Slovak literary and cultural heritage.
In the late 19th century, the Kresnak surname was also found in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, with records indicating individuals bearing this name residing in various regions, including Galicia, Bohemia, and Moravia. One notable figure from this era was Karol Kresnak, born in 1867 in the town of Nowy Targ, which was then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (now in Poland). He was a respected architect and urban planner, known for his contributions to the design and development of several cities in the region.
Throughout its history, the Kresnak surname has been associated with various occupations, ranging from farming and metalworking to scholarly and artistic pursuits. While its precise origins remain shrouded in mystery, the name has left an indelible mark on the cultural and historical landscape of Central Europe.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kresnak
Among Census respondents with the surname Kresnak, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Kresnak 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 Kresnak surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.1% · 93
- Hispanic or Latino5.0% · 5
- Two or more races3.0% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kresnak
Kresnak appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+10 bearers (+9.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 894 places
2020
#155,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-12 bearers (-10.6%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 9,069 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #147,095 | 103 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | +10 bearers (+9.7%) | Up 894 places |
| 2020 | #155,270 | 101 | 0.03 | -12 bearers (-10.6%) | Down 9,069 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 Kresnak 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 | #146,201 | #155,270 | -6.2% |
| Count | 113 | 101 | -10.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -15.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kresnak bearers went from 113 to 101 (-10.6% change). The surname moved down 9,069 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #155,270.
FAQ
Kresnak surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kresnak?
Name Census estimates that about 116 living Americans carry the surname Kresnak. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,954,779 residents.
How common is Kresnak?
Kresnak ranks #155,270 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 101 people with the surname Kresnak. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (116), 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 Kresnak.
Has Kresnak become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kresnak went from 113 recorded bearers to 101. That is a decrease of 12 (-10.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #146,201 to #155,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Kresnak?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kresnak, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Two or More Races (3.0%). 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 Kresnak in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.1% (93 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kresnak appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.1%), Hispanic (5.0%), Two or More Races (3.0%). 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 Kresnak (2000, 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 Kresnak mean?
A surname derived from the Slavic root meaning "cross". 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 Kresnak (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 common is the surname Kresnak?
If you just want to know how many Americans have the surname Kresnak, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.