2000
#124,872
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Lewalski
A Polish surname derived from a place name, possibly referring to someone from the village of Lewalew.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Lewalski. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lewalski 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
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Lewalski in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lewalski, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lewalski
The surname Lewalski originated in Poland, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It likely derived from the Polish word "lewo," meaning "left," suggesting a connection to a location or feature situated on the left side of a specific area or landmark.
The earliest known records of the Lewalski name can be traced back to the 14th century, appearing in various historical documents and manuscripts from regions within present-day Poland. One notable example is the mention of a Lewalski family in the archives of the city of Krakow, dating back to the late 1300s.
During the 15th and 16th centuries, the Lewalski name became more widespread throughout Poland, with several variations in spelling, including Lewalsky, Levallski, and Lewallsky. These variations often reflected regional dialects and linguistic influences within different Polish regions.
One of the earliest documented individuals bearing the Lewalski surname was Jan Lewalski, a prominent merchant and landowner who lived in the city of Poznan in the late 15th century. Records indicate that he played a significant role in the city's trade and economic affairs during that period.
Another notable figure was Katarzyna Lewalska, a renowned scholar and educator who lived in Krakow during the 16th century. She was widely respected for her contributions to the field of education and her efforts in promoting literacy among women.
In the 17th century, the Lewalski name gained further prominence with the rise of Jakub Lewalski, a skilled military strategist who served in the Polish army during the Swedish-Polish wars. His tactical expertise and leadership were instrumental in several decisive battles against Swedish forces.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Lewalski surname continued to spread throughout various regions of Poland, with some families emigrating to other parts of Europe and beyond. Notable individuals from this period include Maria Lewalska, a celebrated author and poet who lived in Warsaw in the early 19th century, and Franciszek Lewalski, a prominent architect responsible for designing several iconic buildings in the city of Lodz in the mid-1800s.
As the Lewalski name traveled across borders, it has undergone slight variations in spelling and pronunciation, reflecting the linguistic influences of different cultures and regions. However, its Polish origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in its etymology and legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lewalski
Among Census respondents with the surname Lewalski, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Lewalski 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 Lewalski surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.4% · 97
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lewalski
Lewalski 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
#142,108
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
-10 bearers (-7.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 17,236 places
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-12 bearers (-10.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,881 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #124,872 | 127 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #142,108 | 117 | 0.04 | -10 bearers (-7.9%) | Down 17,236 places |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | -12 bearers (-10.3%) | Down 10,881 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 Lewalski 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 | #142,108 | #152,989 | -7.7% |
| Count | 117 | 105 | -10.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lewalski bearers went from 117 to 105 (-10.3% change). The surname moved down 10,881 positions in the national ranking, going from #142,108 to #152,989.
FAQ
Lewalski surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lewalski?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Lewalski. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Lewalski?
Lewalski ranks #152,989 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 105 people with the surname Lewalski. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Lewalski.
Has Lewalski become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lewalski went from 117 recorded bearers to 105. That is a decrease of 12 (-10.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #142,108 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Lewalski?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lewalski, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). 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 Lewalski in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.4% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lewalski appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.4%), Hispanic (3.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). 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 Lewalski (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 Lewalski mean?
A Polish surname derived from a place name, possibly referring to someone from the village of Lewalew. 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 Lewalski (0.04 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 many Americans have the surname Lewalski?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.