Find out how popular the last name Michal is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Michal.

Michal, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Michal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Michal in America

Michal is the 27783rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Michal surname appeared 865 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Michal.

We can also compare 2010 data for Michal to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Michal

The surname Michal is of Czech origin, derived from the Czech given name Michal, which is a cognate of the biblical name Michael. The name Michael is derived from the Hebrew phrase "mi ka'el," meaning "who is like God." The surname Michal emerged in the late 12th century in the region of Bohemia, which is now a part of the Czech Republic.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Michal can be found in the Liber Viridis, a 14th-century land registry from the town of Chrudim in Bohemia. The document mentions a landowner named Michal of Hrochov, suggesting that the name was already well-established in the region by that time.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Michal was particularly prevalent in the areas around Prague, the capital of Bohemia. It was often associated with families involved in agriculture or trade, reflecting the economic landscape of the region at the time.

In the 16th century, the name Michal gained prominence with the birth of Michal of Archangelsk (1508-1572), a notable Russian icon painter and fresco artist. His works can still be found in churches and monasteries throughout Russia, showcasing the artistic talent associated with this surname.

Another notable bearer of the surname Michal was Jan Michal (1572-1644), a Polish-Lithuanian military leader and nobleman. He played a significant role in the Polish-Muscovite War of 1609-1618 and was renowned for his strategic abilities on the battlefield.

In the 19th century, the name Michal was further brought to prominence by the Czech composer Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884), whose opera "The Bartered Bride" is considered a masterpiece of Czech national music. Smetana's mother's maiden name was Michal, highlighting the enduring presence of this surname in Czech culture.

The surname Michal has also been associated with various place names throughout Central Europe, such as the village of Michalovo in Slovakia and the town of Michalovice in the Czech Republic, both of which likely derived their names from early settlers bearing the Michal surname.

Throughout history, the surname Michal has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including artists, military leaders, noblemen, and composers, reflecting the rich cultural heritage and historical significance of this surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Michal

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Michal.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Michal was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Michal has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Michal was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Michal, please contact us.

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