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

Opolka, 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 Opolka surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Opolka in America

Opolka is the 81458th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Opolka surname appeared 232 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 Opolka.

We can also compare 2010 data for Opolka 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 Opolka

The surname "OPOLKA" is of Polish origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval era around the 13th century. It is believed to have originated in the region of Silesia, which was historically a part of Poland but later became a part of Germany and is now divided between Poland and the Czech Republic.

The name "OPOLKA" is derived from the Old Polish word "opole," which referred to a district or administrative unit governed by a local ruler or nobleman. It is likely that the name was initially used to identify individuals who either resided in or were associated with a particular "opole" region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "OPOLKA" can be found in a 14th-century document from the city of Wroclaw (formerly known as Breslau), where a certain Henryk Opolka is mentioned as a landowner. Another notable early bearer of this surname was Jan Opolka, a prominent merchant and trader who lived in the city of Krakow in the late 15th century.

During the Renaissance period, the name "OPOLKA" gained some prominence in the region of Silesia, where it was associated with several noble families. Notable individuals from this era include Katarzyna Opolka (1520-1587), a noblewoman and landowner known for her philanthropic work, and Jerzy Opolka (1548-1624), a respected lawyer and judge who served in the court of the Prussian Duke Albrecht.

In the 17th century, the name "OPOLKA" began to spread beyond the borders of Silesia, as members of the family migrated to other parts of Poland and neighboring regions. One such individual was Tomasz Opolka (1635-1701), a renowned scholar and theologian who taught at the University of Krakow and authored several influential works on religious philosophy.

As the centuries progressed, the "OPOLKA" surname continued to be associated with various notable figures, including Aleksander Opolka (1789-1855), a Polish military officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars, and Maria Opolka (1842-1925), a celebrated opera singer who performed in many of the leading theaters across Europe.

While the name "OPOLKA" may not be as widespread today as it once was, it remains an important part of Polish cultural heritage, with its origins deeply rooted in the medieval history and administrative systems of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Opolka

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

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

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

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