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

Kurek, 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 Kurek surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kurek in America

Kurek is the 16775th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kurek surname appeared 1,703 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Kurek.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kurek 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 Kurek

The surname Kurek has its origins in Poland, where it first emerged in the 14th century. It is derived from the Polish word "kurek," which means "little rooster" or "cockerel." This suggests that the name may have initially been a nickname for someone with a strutting gait or a boisterous personality akin to a rooster.

In the early days, surnames were often bestowed based on physical attributes, occupations, or places of origin. The name Kurek likely originated as a descriptive nickname before becoming a hereditary surname passed down through generations.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kurek can be found in a document from the city of Krakow, dating back to 1390. This document mentions a certain "Jakub Kurek," who was a landowner in the surrounding area.

During the 15th century, the name appears in various Polish municipal records, such as those from the towns of Sandomierz and Poznan. These records often list individuals with the surname Kurek as merchants, artisans, or landowners, indicating their established presence in urban and rural communities.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the name Kurek was Jan Kurek, a Polish mathematician and astronomer born in 1530. He is known for his contributions to the development of the Gregorian calendar and his work on the theory of planetary motion.

Another prominent individual with the surname Kurek was Stanisław Kurek, a 17th-century Polish military leader and politician. He served as a commander in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth's army during the wars against Sweden and played a crucial role in defending the city of Lviv.

In the 18th century, the name Kurek gained further recognition with Franciszek Kurek, a renowned Polish painter and engraver born in 1755. His works, which often depicted religious and mythological scenes, are considered important examples of the Baroque and Rococo styles in Polish art.

Moving into the 19th century, the surname Kurek continued to be associated with notable figures, such as Józef Kurek, a Polish writer and journalist born in 1819. He was a prominent advocate for Polish independence and played an active role in the Polish national revival movement.

Throughout its history, the surname Kurek has been found in various regions of Poland, including the historic regions of Silesia, Pomerania, and Lesser Poland. However, its roots can be traced back to the central and southern parts of the country, where it likely originated and gained prominence.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kurek

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

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

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

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