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

Pavelka, 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 Pavelka surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pavelka in America

Pavelka is the 21330th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pavelka surname appeared 1,228 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 Pavelka.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pavelka 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 Pavelka

The surname Pavelka has its origins in the Czech Republic, tracing back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Slavic personal name Pavel, which is a variation of the Latin name Paulus, meaning "small" or "humble". The suffix "-ka" was a common addition to surnames in the region, denoting a diminutive or patronymic form.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Bohemian Land Rolls of 1379, where a certain Jan Pavelka is mentioned as a landowner in the village of Všeruby. This document provides evidence of the name's presence during the medieval period in the territory of the former Kingdom of Bohemia.

The name Pavelka has also been linked to various place names within the Czech lands. For instance, the village of Pavlíkov, located in the Plzeň Region, is believed to have derived its name from the personal name Pavel, potentially indicating a connection to an early bearer of the Pavelka surname.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Pavelka. One such figure was Jan Pavelka (1520-1598), a Czech theologian and rector of the University of Prague, who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation in Bohemia.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Jaroslav Pavelka (1895-1980), a Czech painter and graphic artist known for his landscape and still-life works. His artistic contributions have been recognized and celebrated in various exhibitions and publications.

The name Pavelka has also been associated with academic and scientific achievements. For instance, Václav Pavelka (1919-2009) was a renowned Czech mathematician and academic, who made significant contributions to the field of functional analysis and operator theory.

In the realm of sports, the name Pavelka has gained recognition through individuals like Jaroslav Pavelka (1914-1988), a Czech ice hockey player who represented Czechoslovakia in the 1936 and 1948 Winter Olympics.

It is worth noting that variations of the spelling, such as Pawelka or Pawelka, have also been documented in historical records, reflecting regional variations and different linguistic influences over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pavelka

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

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

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

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