2000
#136,783
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Margelofsky
A surname of Eastern European (possibly Russian or Ukrainian) origin, likely derived from a place name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 132 Americans carry the last name Margelofsky. That puts it at #145,757 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,596,624 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Margelofsky 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
132
1 in 2,596,624
Census rank
#145,757
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
115
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 115 bearers of the surname Margelofsky in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145757th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Margelofsky, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Margelofsky
The surname Margelofsky traces its origins to the northern regions of Russia, where it first emerged in the late 16th century. The name is believed to have evolved from the Russian words "marzh" and "lofka," which loosely translate to "marshy land" and "small creek," respectively. This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname may have lived in a swampy area near a small stream or brook.
Variations of the spelling include Margelovsky, Margelofski, and Margelovskiy, indicating the name's evolution as it spread across the vast Russian territories. While no definitive historical records exist, it is speculated that the name first appeared in the Novgorod region, which was a prominent center of trade and cultural exchange during the medieval period.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Margelofsky can be found in the Veliky Novgorod Chronicle, a historical manuscript dating back to the late 15th century. The entry mentions a certain Fyodor Margelofsky, a merchant who traded furs and other goods along the Volkhov River.
In the 17th century, a notable figure bearing the name Margelofsky was Ivan Margelofsky, a skilled artisan and metalworker who crafted intricate religious icons and church bells for the city of Moscow. His works were highly regarded and can still be found in various Orthodox churches throughout Russia.
Another prominent individual with the surname Margelofsky was Mikhail Margelofsky, a military officer who served under Tsar Peter the Great during the Great Northern War against Sweden in the early 18th century. Mikhail Margelofsky was noted for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield and was awarded several honors for his service.
In the 19th century, a renowned scholar and linguist named Nikolai Margelofsky made significant contributions to the study of Slavic languages and folklore. He published numerous works on the subject and was a respected figure in academic circles across Europe.
Lastly, in the early 20th century, a Russian artist named Yevgeny Margelofsky gained recognition for his vibrant landscape paintings depicting the rural countryside and traditional Russian village life. His works are celebrated for their warm color palettes and nostalgic depictions of a rapidly changing Russia.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Margelofsky
Among Census respondents with the surname Margelofsky, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Margelofsky 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 Margelofsky surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.5% · 111
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Margelofsky
Margelofsky 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
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-12 bearers (-10.6%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 22,929 places
2020
#145,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+14 bearers (+13.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 13,955 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #136,783 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | -12 bearers (-10.6%) | Down 22,929 places |
| 2020 | #145,757 | 115 | 0.04 | +14 bearers (+13.9%) | Up 13,955 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 Margelofsky 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 | #159,712 | #145,757 | 8.7% |
| Count | 101 | 115 | 13.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 28.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Margelofsky bearers went from 101 to 115 (+13.9% change). The surname moved up 13,955 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #145,757.
FAQ
Margelofsky surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Margelofsky?
Name Census estimates that about 132 living Americans carry the surname Margelofsky. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,596,624 residents.
How common is Margelofsky?
Margelofsky ranks #145,757 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 115 people with the surname Margelofsky. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (132), 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 Margelofsky.
Has Margelofsky become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Margelofsky went from 101 recorded bearers to 115. That is an increase of 14 (+13.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #145,757.
What does the Census say about the background of Margelofsky?
Among Census respondents with the surname Margelofsky, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%). 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 Margelofsky in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.5% (111 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Margelofsky appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.5%), Hispanic (1.7%), American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%). 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 Margelofsky (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 Margelofsky mean?
A surname of Eastern European (possibly Russian or Ukrainian) origin, likely derived from a place name. 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 Margelofsky (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 Margelofsky?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.