2000
#135,837
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Pelishek
A surname of Polish origin, possibly derived from a place name or occupation.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Pelishek. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pelishek 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
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Pelishek in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pelishek, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pelishek
The surname PELISHEK has its roots in the Czech Republic, dating back to the late 15th century. It is believed to have originated from the village of Pelishok, located in the northern region of the country, near the border with Poland. The name is thought to be derived from the Czech word "pelish," which means "to burn" or "to set on fire," suggesting that the original bearer of the name may have been involved in a profession related to fire or burning activities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the PELISHEK surname can be found in a 1498 census record from the town of Litomerice, where a man named Jan Pelishek was listed as a resident. In the 16th century, the name appears in various church records and legal documents from the regions of Bohemia and Moravia, indicating its widespread use among Czech families during that time period.
In the 17th century, a man named Vaclav Pelishek (1620-1689) gained recognition as a skilled blacksmith and metalworker in the city of Prague. His work was highly sought after, and he is believed to have trained several apprentices who went on to carry the PELISHEK name to other parts of Europe.
During the 18th century, the PELISHEK surname was found in records from the town of Nymburk, where a family of brewers and tavern owners bearing the name operated a successful business. One notable member of this family was Josef Pelishek (1745-1812), who was praised for his innovative brewing techniques and the quality of his ales.
As the 19th century dawned, the PELISHEK name spread beyond the borders of the Czech Republic. A man named Frantisek Pelishek (1795-1873) was a respected scholar and linguist who studied at universities in Vienna and Prague. He published several works on Slavic languages and is credited with helping to preserve and document the linguistic heritage of the region.
Another prominent figure with the PELISHEK surname was Ludmila Pelishek (1865-1928), a pioneering educator who established one of the first schools for girls in the city of Brno. Her efforts helped to promote education and empower women in a time when such opportunities were limited.
Throughout its history, the PELISHEK surname has been associated with various occupations and achievements, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who have carried this name. While its origins can be traced back to a small village in the Czech Republic, the name has since traveled across borders and generations, leaving an indelible mark on the cultural and historical fabric of the region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pelishek
Among Census respondents with the surname Pelishek, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
The bar chart below shows how Pelishek 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 Pelishek surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White100.0% · 114
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pelishek
Pelishek 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
+10 bearers (+8.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 244 places
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
-10 bearers (-8.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,902 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #135,837 | 114 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #135,593 | 124 | 0.04 | +10 bearers (+8.8%) | Up 244 places |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | -10 bearers (-8.1%) | Down 10,902 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 Pelishek 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 | #146,495 | -8.0% |
| Count | 124 | 114 | -8.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pelishek bearers went from 124 to 114 (-8.1% change). The surname moved down 10,902 positions in the national ranking, going from #135,593 to #146,495.
FAQ
Pelishek surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pelishek?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Pelishek. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Pelishek?
Pelishek ranks #146,495 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 114 people with the surname Pelishek. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), 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 Pelishek.
Has Pelishek become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pelishek went from 124 recorded bearers to 114. That is a decrease of 10 (-8.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #135,593 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Pelishek?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pelishek, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%. 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 Pelishek in the 2020 Census, accounting for 100.0% (114 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pelishek appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (100.0%). 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 Pelishek (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 Pelishek mean?
A surname of Polish origin, possibly derived from a place name or occupation. 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 Pelishek (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 people are called Pelishek?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people are called Pelishek at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.