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

Okonek, 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 Okonek surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Okonek in America

Okonek is the 63524th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Okonek surname appeared 314 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 Okonek.

We can also compare 2010 data for Okonek 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 Okonek

The surname Okonek originates from Poland, where it first appeared in the 15th century. It is derived from the Polish word "oko," meaning "eye," and the diminutive suffix "-ek," suggesting a connection to a person with a distinctive eye feature or someone associated with eye-related occupations or activities.

Early records of the Okonek surname can be found in various historical documents and archives from the Polish regions. One notable mention is in the Liber Beneficiorum, a 15th-century register of church benefices, where an individual named Mikołaj Okonek is listed as a canon in the Archdiocese of Gniezno.

The name Okonek appears to have been more prevalent in the western regions of Poland, particularly in the areas around Poznań and Wielkopolska. Over time, variations in spelling emerged, such as Okoniek, Okoniewski, and Okoniewicz, reflecting regional dialects and linguistic influences.

In the 16th century, a prominent figure with the surname Okonek was Jan Okonek, a Polish scholar and writer who lived from 1520 to 1584. He authored several works on theology and philosophy, including "De Visione Beatifica" (On the Beatific Vision).

Another notable individual was Michał Okonek (1812-1879), a Polish painter and illustrator known for his landscapes and genre scenes depicting rural life in Poland. His works are part of the collections of several museums in Poland.

The 19th century saw the rise of Stanisław Okonek (1828-1896), a Polish politician and journalist who played an active role in the struggle for Polish independence. He was a member of the Prussian Landtag and advocated for the rights of Poles living under Prussian rule.

In the 20th century, Mieczysław Okonek (1911-1981) gained recognition as a Polish mathematician and logician. He made significant contributions to the fields of set theory and topology and served as a professor at the University of Warsaw.

Lastly, Marian Okonek (born 1944) is a contemporary Polish-American mathematician known for his work in algebraic geometry and differential geometry. He has held academic positions at prestigious institutions such as the University of Chicago and the Polish Academy of Sciences.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Okonek

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

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

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

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