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

Orlowski, 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 Orlowski surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Orlowski in America

Orlowski is the 10041st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Orlowski surname appeared 3,208 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Orlowski.

We can also compare 2010 data for Orlowski 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 Orlowski

The surname Orlowski is of Polish origin, with its roots dating back to the medieval period in the region now known as Poland. The name is derived from the Polish word "orl," which means "eagle," and the suffix "-owski," indicating a possessive form or a place of origin.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Orlowski can be found in historical documents from the 14th century, where it was typically associated with individuals living in or around the town of Orlow, located in the present-day Mazowieckie province of Poland. The name may have initially referred to someone who lived near an area known for its eagles or had some connection to these majestic birds.

In the 15th century, the name Orlowski appeared in various records and manuscripts from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which at the time encompassed a vast territory stretching from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. The name was often associated with members of the Polish nobility or gentry, indicating a possible link to landed estates or noble lineages.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Orlowski name gained prominence, and several notable individuals bearing this surname emerged. One such figure was Jan Orlowski (1510-1568), a Polish nobleman and military commander who played a significant role in the wars against the Teutonic Knights and the Muscovite forces.

Another prominent individual with the surname Orlowski was Stanislaw Orlowski (1677-1737), a Polish priest and theologian who served as the Bishop of Poznan and later became the Archbishop of Gniezno, one of the most important ecclesiastical positions in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

In the 19th century, the Orlowski name continued to be associated with influential figures in Polish society. Kazimierz Orlowski (1811-1887) was a renowned Polish historian and professor at the University of Warsaw, known for his contributions to the study of Polish history and culture.

Wladyslaw Orlowski (1834-1916) was a Polish painter and artist who gained recognition for his landscape and genre paintings, which captured the essence of rural life in Poland during the late 19th century.

As the Orlowski surname spread across Poland and beyond, it became associated with various professions, including academics, artists, and professionals in various fields. While the name may have originated from a specific geographic location or connection to eagles, it has since evolved to represent a rich cultural heritage and a diverse range of achievements by individuals bearing this distinctive Polish surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Orlowski

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

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

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

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