2000
#142,819
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Milczarek
A surname derived from a Polish word meaning "one who remains silent or taciturn."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Milczarek. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Milczarek 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Milczarek with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Milczarek in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Milczarek, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%) and Black (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Milczarek
The surname Milczarek originates from Poland, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Polish word "milczeć," which means "to be silent" or "to keep quiet." This suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon someone known for their taciturn nature or a reputation for discretion.
In the early days, surnames were often derived from occupations, physical characteristics, or personality traits. The name Milczarek likely emerged as a descriptive nickname before becoming an established surname. Its earliest recorded instances date back to the 14th century, appearing in various historical records and chronicles from various regions of Poland.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Jan Milczarek, a merchant from the city of Kraków, who was mentioned in municipal records from the late 15th century. Another notable figure was Marcin Milczarek, a scribe and copyist who lived in the city of Poznań in the 16th century, renowned for his meticulous work in preserving historical manuscripts.
During the 17th century, the name gained prominence with the rise of Andrzej Milczarek, a respected lawyer and jurist who served as a judge in the royal courts of King Sigismund III Vasa. His legal expertise and reputation for impartiality earned him a distinguished place in the annals of Polish jurisprudence.
In the 18th century, Katarzyna Milczarek, a talented painter from the city of Gdańsk, gained recognition for her intricate and detailed portraits of nobility and wealthy merchants. Her works can still be found in various art collections across Poland and Europe.
The 19th century saw the emergence of Józef Milczarek, a prominent writer and poet who contributed significantly to the development of Polish literature. His works often explored themes of silence, introspection, and the inner struggles of the human condition, reflecting the meaning of his surname.
While the name Milczarek has its origins in Poland, its bearers can now be found across the globe, a testament to the widespread migration and diaspora of Polish communities throughout history. Despite its geographical spread, the name retains its deep-rooted connection to its Polish heritage and the rich cultural legacy it represents.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Milczarek
Among Census respondents with the surname Milczarek, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%) and Black (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Milczarek 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 Milczarek surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.5% · 107
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.4% · 4
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Milczarek
Milczarek 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
#121,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 142
+35 bearers (+32.7%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 21,229 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
-25 bearers (-17.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 22,680 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #142,819 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #121,590 | 142 | 0.05 | +35 bearers (+32.7%) | Up 21,229 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | -25 bearers (-17.6%) | Down 22,680 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 Milczarek 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 | #121,590 | #144,270 | -18.7% |
| Count | 142 | 117 | -17.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -21.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Milczarek bearers went from 142 to 117 (-17.6% change). The surname moved down 22,680 positions in the national ranking, going from #121,590 to #144,270.
FAQ
Milczarek surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Milczarek?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Milczarek. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Milczarek?
Milczarek ranks #144,270 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 117 people with the surname Milczarek. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), 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 Milczarek.
Has Milczarek become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Milczarek went from 142 recorded bearers to 117. That is a decrease of 25 (-17.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #121,590 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Milczarek?
Among Census respondents with the surname Milczarek, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%) and Black (1.7%). 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 Milczarek in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.5% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Milczarek appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.5%), Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%), Black (1.7%). 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 Milczarek (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 Milczarek mean?
A surname derived from a Polish word meaning "one who remains silent or taciturn." 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 Milczarek (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 share the surname Milczarek?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.