2000
#146,011
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Mindak
A surname of uncertain origin, potentially derived from a place name or an occupation.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 115 Americans carry the last name Mindak. That puts it at #155,682 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,980,473 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mindak 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
115
1 in 2,980,473
Census rank
#155,682
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
100
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 100 bearers of the surname Mindak in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155682nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mindak, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mindak
The surname Mindak is believed to have originated in the central European region, specifically in areas that are now part of modern-day Poland. Its roots can be traced back to the Middle Ages, between the 12th and 15th centuries.
One theory suggests that the name Mindak is derived from the Old Polish word "minać," which means "to pass by" or "to walk past." This linguistic connection could indicate that the name was initially given to someone who lived near a frequently traveled path or road.
Another possibility is that the name Mindak is a variation of the more common Polish surname "Minda," which may have its origins in the German name "Menhard" or the Slavic name "Mieńda." These names were relatively widespread in medieval times and could have evolved into different regional spellings over time.
In terms of historical records, the earliest known mentions of the name Mindak can be found in various church registers and municipal documents from the 16th and 17th centuries in regions that were part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth at the time.
One notable individual with the surname Mindak was Jan Mindak, a Polish nobleman and military commander who lived in the late 16th century. He served in the army of King Stefan Batory and participated in the Livonian War against Sweden and Russia.
Another historical figure bearing this name was Andrzej Mindak, a Polish mathematician and astronomer who lived in the early 17th century. He made significant contributions to the field of astronomy and was recognized for his work in calculating the positions of celestial bodies.
In the 18th century, there was a Polish artist named Franciszek Mindak, known for his portrait paintings and religious artwork. He was commissioned to create several altarpieces for churches throughout the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Moving into the 19th century, a notable individual with the surname Mindak was Karol Mindak, a Polish writer and journalist who advocated for Polish independence during the partitions of Poland. He wrote several influential essays and pamphlets that were circulated among the Polish intelligentsia.
Lastly, in the early 20th century, there was a Polish politician named Stanisław Mindak, who served as a member of the Sejm (Polish parliament) and was involved in the struggle for Poland's independence following World War I.
These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname Mindak who have left their mark throughout history, demonstrating the enduring legacy of this name and its roots in central European culture and society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mindak
Among Census respondents with the surname Mindak, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Mindak 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 Mindak surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.0% · 93
- Hispanic or Latino7.0% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mindak
Mindak 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
#148,347
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+7 bearers (+6.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,336 places
2020
#155,682
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
-11 bearers (-9.9%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 7,335 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #146,011 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #148,347 | 111 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.7%) | Down 2,336 places |
| 2020 | #155,682 | 100 | 0.03 | -11 bearers (-9.9%) | Down 7,335 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 Mindak 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 | #148,347 | #155,682 | -4.9% |
| Count | 111 | 100 | -9.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -16.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mindak bearers went from 111 to 100 (-9.9% change). The surname moved down 7,335 positions in the national ranking, going from #148,347 to #155,682.
FAQ
Mindak surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mindak?
Name Census estimates that about 115 living Americans carry the surname Mindak. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,980,473 residents.
How common is Mindak?
Mindak ranks #155,682 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 100 people with the surname Mindak. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (115), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Mindak.
Has Mindak become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mindak went from 111 recorded bearers to 100. That is a decrease of 11 (-9.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #148,347 to #155,682.
What does the Census say about the background of Mindak?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mindak, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.0%). 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 Mindak in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.0% (93 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mindak appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.0%), Hispanic (7.0%). 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 Mindak (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 Mindak mean?
A surname of uncertain origin, potentially derived from a place name or an occupation. 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 Mindak (0.03 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 Mindak?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.