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

Monsky, 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 Monsky surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Monsky in America

Monsky is the 148244th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Monsky surname appeared 102 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Monsky.

The history of the last name Monsky

The surname Monsky has its origins in Eastern Europe, predominantly in what is now modern-day Poland. The name is believed to have originated in the 16th or 17th century, a period marked by fluid social structures and frequent migrations due to geopolitical changes. The areas where the surname initially appeared are mostly found within the historical regions of Greater Poland and Masovia. It is likely derived from the Polish word "mąż," meaning "man" or "husband," which when combined with the suffix -ski, common in Polish surnames, forms Monsky. The suffix -ski often denotes a connection to a place or geographical feature, suggesting the original bearers of the name may have been landowners or belonged to a significant locality.

One of the earliest recorded appearances of the surname Monsky can be found in church records from the early 17th century. These records are primarily baptismal and marriage documents, highlighting the name as part of familial and communal structures within Polish villages. Notably, a 1647 record from a parish in Poznań lists a Jan Monsky as a witness to a wedding, marking an early formal documentation of the surname.

Historical references also suggest that variants of the name, such as Monski and Manski, appeared sporadically in written records. These variations are attributed to the phonetic spelling practices of the time and the lack of standardized orthography. The surname is mentioned in a document known as the Lustracja, a Polish land census conducted in the mid-16th century, where a Jakub Monski is recorded as an owner of significant farmland in the Greater Poland region.

Throughout history, several notable individuals bore the surname Monsky. One such person was Jakub Monsky (born 1625, died 1687), who served as a local magistrate in a small town near Warsaw. His contributions to local governance and community organization were documented in municipal records from the late 17th century. Another significant figure was Marek Monsky (born 1710, died 1778), a merchant whose business activities extended to the trade routes between Poland and Germany.

In the 19th century, the surname Monsky traveled beyond the borders of Poland due to the wave of emigration resulting from political unrest and economic challenges. One prominent émigré was Helena Monsky (born 1842, died 1901), who settled in the United States and became an influential member of the Polish diaspora in Chicago. Her work in establishing immigrant support networks is commemorated in several Polish-American historical societies.

Among the intellectuals bearing the surname was Ignacy Monsky (born 1863, died 1924), a philosopher and academic who published extensively on ethics and Slavic studies. His scholarly works are still referenced in academic circles, and he held a professorship at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków.

Recent histories include Helena Monsky’s grand-nephew, Joseph Monsky (born 1878, died 1952), a noted lawyer and labor activist in New York City. His legal advocacy and involvement in labor rights contributed significantly to the early 20th-century movements for workers' protections and fair employment practices.

The surname Monsky, though not widespread, has indelible connections to significant historical narratives and has been borne by individuals who contributed to social, academic, and economic developments in their respective eras. The intricate etymological roots and historical appearances of Monsky weave a tapestry emblematic of Eastern European heritage and identity.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Monsky

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

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 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Monsky 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.

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

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

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