2000
#109,915
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 149
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Palovich
A surname derived from a Slavic root meaning "shepherd" or "cowherd."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Palovich. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Palovich 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Palovich in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Palovich, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.5%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Palovich
The surname Palovich has its origins in the Slavic regions of Eastern Europe. It is believed to have originated in the late 15th century in the area that is now modern-day Croatia and Serbia. The name is derived from the Slavic root word "pal", which means "to burn" or "to set on fire". This suggests that the name may have been originally used as an occupational name for someone who worked as a charcoal burner or a blacksmith.
One of the earliest known references to the Palovich surname can be found in a manuscript from the 16th century that lists the names of inhabitants in a small village near the town of Zadar, Croatia. The name is recorded as "Palovych" in this document.
In the 17th century, records show that a family by the name of Palovich had settled in the town of Novi Sad, which was then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This branch of the Palovich family is said to have produced several notable figures, including Ivan Palovich (1680-1744), a merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the economic development of the region.
As the Palovich name spread across Eastern Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Palovic, Palovici, and Palovich. One notable bearer of this name was Petar Palovic (1763-1834), a Serbian writer and educator who was a pioneer in the field of Serbian language and literature.
Another prominent Palovich was Nikola Palovic (1811-1892), a Serbian military leader who served as a general in the Serbian-Ottoman Wars and played a crucial role in the liberation of Serbia from Ottoman rule.
In the 19th century, the Palovich surname also found its way to Russia, where it became associated with the Russian nobility. One such example is Mikhail Palovich (1856-1912), a Russian aristocrat and landowner who was known for his philanthropic efforts and support of the arts.
While the Palovich name has its roots in Eastern Europe, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to immigration and cultural assimilation. However, the name's connection to its Slavic origins and the occupational significance of "burning" or "setting on fire" remain an integral part of its historical legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Palovich
Among Census respondents with the surname Palovich, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.5%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Palovich 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 Palovich surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.1% · 112
- Two or more races2.5% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Palovich
Palovich 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
#133,048
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
-22 bearers (-14.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 23,133 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
-8 bearers (-6.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,740 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #109,915 | 149 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,048 | 127 | 0.04 | -22 bearers (-14.8%) | Down 23,133 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-6.3%) | Down 9,740 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 Palovich 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 | #133,048 | #142,788 | -7.3% |
| Count | 127 | 119 | -6.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Palovich bearers went from 127 to 119 (-6.3% change). The surname moved down 9,740 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,048 to #142,788.
FAQ
Palovich surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Palovich?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Palovich. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Palovich?
Palovich ranks #142,788 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 119 people with the surname Palovich. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), 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 Palovich.
Has Palovich become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Palovich went from 127 recorded bearers to 119. That is a decrease of 8 (-6.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,048 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Palovich?
Among Census respondents with the surname Palovich, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.5%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%). 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 Palovich in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.1% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Palovich appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.1%), Two or More Races (2.5%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%). 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 Palovich (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 Palovich mean?
A surname derived from a Slavic root meaning "shepherd" or "cowherd." 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 Palovich (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 many Americans have the surname Palovich?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.