2000
#138,741
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Pecjak
A surname possibly derived from a personal name or an occupational term in the Slavic languages.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Pecjak. That puts it at #154,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,904,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pecjak 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
118
1 in 2,904,698
Census rank
#154,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
103
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 103 bearers of the surname Pecjak in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pecjak, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.9%) and Black (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pecjak
The surname PECJAK originates from Slovenia, a country located in Southern Central Europe. It is believed to have emerged in the late 15th or early 16th century during the Renaissance era. The name is derived from the Slovenian word "pečjak," which means "baker" or "someone who works with bread or in a bakery."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the PECJAK surname can be found in the archives of the town of Celje, Slovenia, where a record dated 1542 mentions a bakery owned by a certain Jurij Pecjak. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region at that time.
Another historical reference to the PECJAK surname can be found in the annals of the city of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. In the year 1612, a guild of bakers was established, and among its founding members was a man named Jakob Pecjak.
The name PECJAK has also been found in various old manuscripts and records from other parts of Slovenia, such as Maribor and Novo Mesto, indicating its widespread presence throughout the country during the 16th and 17th centuries.
One notable figure in Slovenian history who bore the PECJAK surname was Franc Pecjak (1854-1924), a renowned writer and poet who played a significant role in the development of Slovenian literature. His works, which included poems, novels, and plays, often explored themes of national identity and the struggles of the Slovenian people.
Another prominent individual with the PECJAK surname was Janez Pecjak (1892-1972), a Slovenian politician who served as the Mayor of Ljubljana from 1935 to 1941. He was instrumental in the city's development and modernization during his tenure.
In the field of sports, Matej Pecjak (born 1989) is a notable figure. He is a professional basketball player who has represented the Slovenian national team and played for various clubs in Europe.
Historically, the PECJAK surname has also been associated with several place names in Slovenia. For instance, the village of Pecjak near Kamnik was likely named after an early settler or family with the surname. Additionally, there are records of a small hamlet called Pecjakova Vas, which translates to "Pecjak's Village," further indicating the presence of individuals bearing this surname in various regions of the country.
Overall, the PECJAK surname has a rich history deeply rooted in Slovenian culture and traditions, particularly in the baking industry and related crafts. Its origins can be traced back to the 16th century, and it has been borne by notable figures in various fields throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pecjak
Among Census respondents with the surname Pecjak, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.9%) and Black (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Pecjak 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 Pecjak surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.2% · 97
- Hispanic or Latino3.9% · 4
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
- Two or more races1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pecjak
Pecjak 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
#142,108
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+6 bearers (+5.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,367 places
2020
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-14 bearers (-12.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 12,074 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 | #142,108 | 117 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.4%) | Down 3,367 places |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | -14 bearers (-12.0%) | Down 12,074 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 Pecjak 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 | #142,108 | #154,182 | -8.5% |
| Count | 117 | 103 | -12.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pecjak bearers went from 117 to 103 (-12.0% change). The surname moved down 12,074 positions in the national ranking, going from #142,108 to #154,182.
FAQ
Pecjak surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pecjak?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Pecjak. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Pecjak?
Pecjak ranks #154,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 103 people with the surname Pecjak. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Pecjak.
Has Pecjak become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pecjak went from 117 recorded bearers to 103. That is a decrease of 14 (-12.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #142,108 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Pecjak?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pecjak, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.9%) and Black (1.0%). 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 Pecjak in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.2% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pecjak appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.2%), Hispanic (3.9%), Black (1.0%). 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 Pecjak (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 Pecjak mean?
A surname possibly derived from a personal name or an occupational term in the Slavic languages. 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 Pecjak (0.03 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 people share the surname Pecjak?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.