Murkowski
A Polish or Russian locational surname denoting an origin from a place called Murki or Murkov.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 171 Americans carry the last name Murkowski. That puts it at #110,286 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,004,411 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Murkowski surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
171
1 in 2,004,411
Census rank
#110,286
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
160
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 160 bearers of the surname Murkowski in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 110286th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Murkowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Murkowski
The surname MURKOWSKI is of Polish origin, tracing its roots back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Polish word 'murarz', meaning 'mason' or 'bricklayer', indicating that the name's earliest bearers were likely involved in masonry or construction work. The name was initially concentrated in the regions of Silesia and Lesser Poland, where it was first recorded.
One of the earliest documented references to the name MURKOWSKI can be found in the records of the town of Krakow, dating back to the late 16th century. The name is also mentioned in several parish registers and tax records from the 17th and 18th centuries in the surrounding areas of southern Poland.
In the 19th century, the name MURKOWSKI began to spread more widely across Poland and into neighboring regions, as families migrated in search of better opportunities. One notable early bearer of the name was Jan Murkowski (1805-1877), a Polish architect and urban planner who designed several notable buildings in Warsaw.
As the MURKOWSKI family dispersed across Europe and beyond, variations in spelling and pronunciation emerged. Some examples include Murkowsky, Murkovskiy, and Murchowski. These variants often reflected the linguistic and cultural influences of the regions where the name took root.
Another prominent individual with the MURKOWSKI surname was Wacław Murkowski (1875-1941), a Polish politician and activist who advocated for workers' rights and social reforms in the early 20th century. He was a member of the Polish Sejm (parliament) and played a significant role in shaping labor policies during the interwar period.
In the 20th century, the name MURKOWSKI gained wider recognition with the rise of Frank Murkowski (1933-2019), an American politician and businessman of Polish descent. He served as a United States Senator from Alaska from 1981 to 2002 and later became the 8th Governor of Alaska from 2002 to 2006.
While the MURKOWSKI surname has its origins in Poland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, carried by generations of migrants and their descendants. The name continues to be associated with its historical ties to masonry and construction, as well as the diverse cultural and political legacies of those who have borne it throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Murkowski
Among Census respondents with the surname Murkowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Murkowski bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Murkowski surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.6%
- Hispanic or Latino3.8%
- Unknown or suppressed0.6%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Murkowski surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #115,489 | #110,286 | 4.5% |
| Count | 140 | 160 | 14.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.0% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Murkowski bearers went from 140 to 160 (+14.3% change). The surname moved up 5,203 positions in the national ranking, going from #115,489 to #110,286.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Murkowski
FAQ
Murkowski surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Murkowski?
The surname Murkowski holds position #110,286 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 171 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Murkowski surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Murkowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.