2000
#129,619
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Lonsky
A surname of Slavic origin, possibly related to the word "lony" meaning meadows or fields.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Lonsky. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lonsky 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
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Lonsky in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lonsky, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lonsky
The surname Lonsky has its origins in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, emerging in the early 15th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old Czech word "loňský," which means "from the previous year" or "last year's." This suggests that the name may have initially been used to distinguish someone or a family from a particular year or event.
The earliest recorded instance of the Lonsky name can be traced back to a document dated 1412, which mentions a certain Jan Lonsky from the town of Olomouc, in what is now the Czech Republic. This document, a property deed, provides evidence of the name's existence during the late medieval period.
In the 16th century, the Lonsky name appeared in several historical records, including tax rolls and church registers, across various regions of Bohemia and Moravia. One notable figure from this time was Mikuláš Lonsky (1510-1582), a prominent Czech humanist scholar and writer.
As the centuries progressed, the Lonsky name spread to other parts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, including present-day Slovakia. In the 18th century, a branch of the Lonsky family settled in the town of Lučenec, where they established themselves as landowners and local nobility.
One of the most famous individuals bearing the Lonsky name was Jan Lonsky (1865-1924), a Czech composer and conductor who gained recognition for his orchestral works and operas. His compositions were heavily influenced by the rich folklore and traditions of his homeland.
Another notable figure was Jaroslav Lonsky (1892-1967), a renowned Czech artist and painter who was part of the avant-garde movement in the early 20th century. His works, which often depicted scenes from everyday life, are celebrated for their vibrant colors and expressive brushstrokes.
The Lonsky name can also be found in historical records from the 19th and early 20th centuries, including census data and military records, particularly in the areas of Bohemia, Moravia, and Slovakia. These records provide insights into the geographical distribution and occupations of Lonsky families during that time period.
Throughout its history, the Lonsky surname has maintained a strong presence in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, with various branches and individuals making significant contributions to various fields, including academia, arts, and local governance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lonsky
Among Census respondents with the surname Lonsky, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Lonsky 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 Lonsky surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.0% · 101
- Hispanic or Latino4.5% · 5
- Two or more races3.6% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lonsky
Lonsky 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
-4 bearers (-3.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,489 places
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
-6 bearers (-5.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,557 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #129,619 | 121 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #142,108 | 117 | 0.04 | -4 bearers (-3.3%) | Down 12,489 places |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.1%) | Down 6,557 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 Lonsky 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 | #148,665 | -4.6% |
| Count | 117 | 111 | -5.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lonsky bearers went from 117 to 111 (-5.1% change). The surname moved down 6,557 positions in the national ranking, going from #142,108 to #148,665.
FAQ
Lonsky surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lonsky?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Lonsky. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Lonsky?
Lonsky ranks #148,665 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 111 people with the surname Lonsky. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), 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 Lonsky.
Has Lonsky become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lonsky went from 117 recorded bearers to 111. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #142,108 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Lonsky?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lonsky, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Lonsky in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.0% (101 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lonsky appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.0%), Hispanic (4.5%), Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Lonsky (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 Lonsky mean?
A surname of Slavic origin, possibly related to the word "lony" meaning meadows or fields. 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 Lonsky (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 people have the surname Lonsky?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.