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

Mirek, 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 Mirek surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mirek in America

Mirek is the 87335th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mirek surname appeared 213 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 Mirek.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mirek 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 Mirek

The surname Mirek has its origins in Poland, emerging in the late medieval period around the 14th century. It is believed to be derived from the Polish word "mrok," which translates to "darkness" or "gloom." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a dark or gloomy area or had a swarthy complexion.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mirek can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Poloniae, a collection of ancient Polish documents dating back to the 11th century. In this collection, a nobleman named Miroslaw Mirek is mentioned in a land dispute from the year 1387.

During the Renaissance period, the name Mirek gained prominence in the region of Silesia, which was then part of the Kingdom of Bohemia. A notable figure from this era was Jan Mirek, a scholar and humanist who lived from 1456 to 1522. He was known for his contributions to the field of education and his work in promoting the study of classical literature.

In the 17th century, the Mirek surname appeared in the records of the city of Krakow, where a merchant named Michał Mirek was documented as a member of the local guild of traders in 1642. This suggests that the name had spread beyond its initial geographical origins and was associated with various professions.

Another historical figure bearing the Mirek surname was Wojciech Mirek, a Polish military officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars. He was born in 1781 and served under the Polish legions that allied with Napoleon's forces. Mirek participated in several major battles, including the Battle of Racławice in 1794, and rose to the rank of Colonel.

In the 19th century, the Mirek name gained literary recognition with the works of Polish poet and writer Adam Mirek. Born in 1826, he is known for his romantic poems and novels that explored themes of love, nature, and Polish national identity. His most famous work, "Wiersze z lasu" (Poems from the Forest), was published in 1860.

Throughout its history, the surname Mirek has maintained a strong presence in Poland and has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including noblemen, scholars, merchants, military officers, and artists. While its origins can be traced back to the medieval period, the name continues to be a part of Polish heritage and cultural identity.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mirek

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

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 Mirek 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 Mirek 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 Mirek was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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