2000
#124,109
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 128
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Machaj
A Polish surname possibly derived from a Slavic word related to plowing or farming.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 193 Americans carry the last name Machaj. That puts it at #111,467 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,775,929 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Machaj 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
193
1 in 1,775,929
Census rank
#111,467
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
168
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 168 bearers of the surname Machaj in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 111467th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Machaj, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Machaj
The surname Machaj has its origins in Poland, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Polish word "mach," which means "to wave" or "to flap," possibly referring to an occupation or physical characteristic associated with the original bearer of the name.
In the late 16th century, records show a family by the name of Machaj residing in the village of Wola Machajska, near the town of Sandomierz in southeastern Poland. This village was likely named after the Machaj family, suggesting their prominence in the area at the time.
One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Machaj was Jan Machaj, a landowner and farmer who lived in the village of Wola Machajska in the late 1500s. Records from that period indicate that the Machaj family owned substantial tracts of land and played a significant role in the local community.
In the 17th century, the Machaj name appeared in various historical documents, including church records and land registries, primarily in the regions of Lesser Poland and Mazovia. During this period, the name underwent slight variations in spelling, such as Machay, Machai, and Machaj.
One notable figure bearing the Machaj surname was Marcin Machaj, a 17th-century Polish military commander who participated in the Polish-Swedish wars. He was born in 1632 and died in 1698, leaving behind a legacy of valor and bravery on the battlefield.
In the 19th century, the Machaj surname gained further prominence with the birth of Józef Machaj, a renowned Polish painter and sculptor. Born in 1844 in Krakow, Józef Machaj's works were widely acclaimed and can be found in numerous art galleries and museums throughout Poland.
Another individual of historical significance was Tadeusz Machaj, a Polish writer and journalist who lived from 1878 to 1942. He was a prominent figure in the literary circles of the early 20th century and contributed to various publications, including the influential Kraków-based newspaper "Czas."
Over the centuries, the Machaj surname has spread beyond its Polish origins, with families bearing this name found in various parts of Europe and beyond. However, the majority of historical records and notable individuals associated with the Machaj surname can be traced back to its roots in Poland.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Machaj
Among Census respondents with the surname Machaj, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Machaj 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 Machaj surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.9% · 151
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 7
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.0% · 5
- Two or more races1.8% · 3
- Black or African American0.6% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Machaj
Machaj 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
#120,187
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 144
+16 bearers (+12.5%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 3,922 places
2020
#111,467
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 168
+24 bearers (+16.7%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Up 8,720 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #124,109 | 128 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #120,187 | 144 | 0.05 | +16 bearers (+12.5%) | Up 3,922 places |
| 2020 | #111,467 | 168 | 0.06 | +24 bearers (+16.7%) | Up 8,720 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 Machaj 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 | #120,187 | #111,467 | 7.3% |
| Count | 144 | 168 | 16.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.06 | 12.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Machaj bearers went from 144 to 168 (+16.7% change). The surname moved up 8,720 positions in the national ranking, going from #120,187 to #111,467.
FAQ
Machaj surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Machaj?
Name Census estimates that about 193 living Americans carry the surname Machaj. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,775,929 residents.
How common is Machaj?
Machaj ranks #111,467 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.06 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 168 people with the surname Machaj. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (193), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.06 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 Machaj.
Has Machaj become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Machaj went from 144 recorded bearers to 168. That is an increase of 24 (+16.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #120,187 to #111,467.
What does the Census say about the background of Machaj?
Among Census respondents with the surname Machaj, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (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 Machaj in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.9% (151 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Machaj appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.9%), Hispanic (4.2%), Asian/Pacific Islander (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 Machaj (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 Machaj mean?
A Polish surname possibly derived from a Slavic word related to plowing or farming. 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 Machaj (0.06 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 Machaj?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.