2000
#138,741
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Palmowski
Derived from the Polish word "palma" meaning palm tree, indicating geographic origin or occupation related to palm trees.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Palmowski. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Palmowski surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Palmowski in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Palmowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.8%) and Black (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Palmowski
The surname Palmowski has its origins in Poland, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Polish word "palma," which means "palm tree," suggesting a possible connection to a geographical location or occupation related to palm trees or their products.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Palmowski can be traced back to the medieval town of Gdansk, located in northern Poland. At that time, the name was often spelled as "Palmowsky" or "Palmosky," reflecting the variations in spelling that were common during that era.
One of the earliest documented references to the name Palmowski is found in the Gdansk municipal records from the year 1412, where a merchant named Jan Palmowski is mentioned. This record provides evidence of the name's existence and usage during the late medieval period.
In the 16th century, the name Palmowski appears in the records of the Polish nobility, indicating that some members of the family had achieved a certain level of social status and prominence. Notable among these was Michal Palmowski (1535-1602), a prominent landowner and military commander who served under King Sigismund III Vasa.
During the 17th century, the name Palmowski gained further recognition with the birth of Stanislaw Palmowski (1644-1718), a renowned scholar and philosopher who made significant contributions to the intellectual discourse of his time. His works on ethics and moral philosophy were widely studied and influenced generations of thinkers.
Another notable figure bearing the Palmowski surname was Katarzyna Palmowski (1782-1856), a celebrated poet and writer who gained recognition for her lyrical compositions and literary works. Her contributions to Polish literature during the Romantic period earned her a place among the most esteemed writers of her era.
In the 19th century, the Palmowski name was further solidified with the birth of Jozef Palmowski (1817-1892), a prominent industrialist and philanthropist. He established several successful businesses and used his wealth to support various charitable causes, leaving a lasting impact on the communities he served.
Throughout its history, the Palmowski surname has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, nobility, scholars, writers, and industrialists. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Poland, the name has since spread to other parts of the world, carrying with it a rich legacy and cultural significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Palmowski
Among Census respondents with the surname Palmowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.8%) and Black (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Palmowski bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Palmowski surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.4% · 102
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
- Black or African American1.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Palmowski
Palmowski appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#135,593
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 124
+13 bearers (+11.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,148 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-16 bearers (-12.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,342 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #138,741 | 111 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #135,593 | 124 | 0.04 | +13 bearers (+11.7%) | Up 3,148 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | -16 bearers (-12.9%) | Down 15,342 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Palmowski surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #135,593 | #150,935 | -11.3% |
| Count | 124 | 108 | -12.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Palmowski bearers went from 124 to 108 (-12.9% change). The surname moved down 15,342 positions in the national ranking, going from #135,593 to #150,935.
FAQ
Palmowski surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Palmowski?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Palmowski. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Palmowski?
Palmowski ranks #150,935 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 108 people with the surname Palmowski. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Palmowski.
Has Palmowski become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Palmowski went from 124 recorded bearers to 108. That is a decrease of 16 (-12.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #135,593 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Palmowski?
Among Census respondents with the surname Palmowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.8%) and Black (1.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Palmowski in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.4% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Palmowski appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.4%), Two or More Races (2.8%), Black (1.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Palmowski (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Palmowski mean?
Derived from the Polish word "palma" meaning palm tree, indicating geographic origin or occupation related to palm trees. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Palmowski (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Palmowski?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Palmowski on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.