2010
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Mehalek
A surname of Hebrew origin meaning "divider" or "distributor".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Mehalek. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mehalek 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Mehalek in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mehalek, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (11.2%) and Black (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mehalek
The surname MEHALEK is believed to have originated in the Czech Republic, tracing its roots back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old Czech word "mehal," which means "to delay" or "to linger." This surname was likely given to individuals who were known for their unhurried or leisurely approach to tasks or activities.
The earliest recorded instance of the MEHALEK surname can be found in a document from the town of Brno, dated 1287. This document mentions a individual named Petr Mehalek, who was a farmer in the region. Over the following centuries, the surname appeared in various records and manuscripts throughout the Czech lands, often associated with rural areas or small villages.
In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the MEHALEK surname was Jan Mehalek, a respected blacksmith from the village of Litoměřice. He was renowned for his skilled craftsmanship and was commissioned to create intricate metalwork for several churches and noble estates in the region.
During the 17th century, the MEHALEK surname gained prominence in the town of Kutná Hora, where a family of that name owned a successful brewery. One member of this family, Mikuláš Mehalek (1621-1698), served as the mayor of Kutná Hora for several terms and was influential in the town's economic and political affairs.
Another notable individual with the MEHALEK surname was Jakub Mehalek (1756-1832), a renowned writer and philosopher from Prague. He authored several books on ethics and moral philosophy, which were widely read and discussed in academic circles during his lifetime.
In the late 19th century, a family by the name of MEHALEK resided in the village of Vysoké Mýto, where they owned a successful textile manufacturing business. One member of this family, Antonín Mehalek (1845-1912), was a prominent philanthropist and donated substantial funds towards the construction of a local school and hospital.
While the MEHALEK surname has its roots in the Czech Republic, it has since spread to other parts of Europe and the world due to migration patterns over the centuries. However, its origins and historical significance can be traced back to the Czech lands and the individuals who bore this name throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mehalek
Among Census respondents with the surname Mehalek, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (11.2%) and Black (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Mehalek 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 Mehalek surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.1% · 90
- Hispanic or Latino11.2% · 12
- Black or African American2.8% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mehalek
Mehalek appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
+3 bearers (+2.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,405 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.9%) | Up 4,405 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 Mehalek 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 | #156,044 | #151,639 | 2.8% |
| Count | 104 | 107 | 2.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mehalek bearers went from 104 to 107 (+2.9% change). The surname moved up 4,405 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #151,639.
FAQ
Mehalek surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mehalek?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Mehalek. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Mehalek?
Mehalek ranks #151,639 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 107 people with the surname Mehalek. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), 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 Mehalek.
Has Mehalek become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mehalek went from 104 recorded bearers to 107. That is an increase of 3 (+2.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Mehalek?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mehalek, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (11.2%) and Black (2.8%). 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 Mehalek in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.1% (90 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mehalek appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.1%), Hispanic (11.2%), Black (2.8%). 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 Mehalek (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 Mehalek mean?
A surname of Hebrew origin meaning "divider" or "distributor". 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 Mehalek (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 last name Mehalek?
Find out how many people are called Mehalek on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.