2000
#139,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Pesak
A surname originating from the Ukrainian word for "sand" or "sandy".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 116 Americans carry the last name Pesak. That puts it at #155,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,954,779 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pesak 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
116
1 in 2,954,779
Census rank
#155,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
101
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 101 bearers of the surname Pesak in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pesak, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pesak
The surname PESAK has its origins in the Czech Republic, emerging in the late 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Czech word "pesek," meaning "sand" or "sandy area," suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name may have resided in or near a sandy region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the PESAK surname can be found in a land registry document from 1487, which mentions a certain Jan Pesak from the town of Brno. This document serves as a valuable historical reference, providing insight into the early use and geographical distribution of the name.
During the 16th century, the PESAK name gained prominence in the region around the town of Litomerice, located in the northwestern part of modern-day Czech Republic. Historical records from this period mention several notable figures bearing the PESAK surname, including Vaclav Pesak (1520-1587), a respected scholar and theologian who authored several influential works on religious philosophy.
Another notable bearer of the PESAK name was Katerina Pesak (1565-1631), a skilled embroiderer and textile artist whose intricate needlework adorned the garments of wealthy aristocratic families throughout Bohemia. Her work is still celebrated today as a prime example of Renaissance-era artistry.
In the 17th century, the PESAK surname spread beyond the borders of the Czech lands, as families bearing this name began to migrate to neighboring regions. One such individual was Jiri Pesak (1622-1692), a merchant who established a successful trading business in the city of Krakow, Poland.
As the centuries passed, the PESAK name continued to be present in various parts of Central Europe. In the late 19th century, a prominent figure bearing this surname was Karel Pesak (1868-1932), a renowned architect and urban planner who played a significant role in the development of modern-day Prague.
Throughout its long history, the PESAK surname has been associated with various occupations and professions, from academics and artists to merchants and tradesmen. Despite its widespread distribution, the name has maintained a strong connection to its Czech roots, serving as a testament to the enduring legacy of this Central European surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pesak
Among Census respondents with the surname Pesak, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Pesak 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 Pesak surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.1% · 93
- Hispanic or Latino5.9% · 6
- Two or more races2.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pesak
Pesak 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
#137,327
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
+12 bearers (+10.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,430 places
2020
#155,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-21 bearers (-17.2%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 17,943 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #139,757 | 110 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #137,327 | 122 | 0.04 | +12 bearers (+10.9%) | Up 2,430 places |
| 2020 | #155,270 | 101 | 0.03 | -21 bearers (-17.2%) | Down 17,943 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 Pesak 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 | #137,327 | #155,270 | -13.1% |
| Count | 122 | 101 | -17.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -15.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pesak bearers went from 122 to 101 (-17.2% change). The surname moved down 17,943 positions in the national ranking, going from #137,327 to #155,270.
FAQ
Pesak surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pesak?
Name Census estimates that about 116 living Americans carry the surname Pesak. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,954,779 residents.
How common is Pesak?
Pesak ranks #155,270 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 101 people with the surname Pesak. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (116), 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 Pesak.
Has Pesak become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pesak went from 122 recorded bearers to 101. That is a decrease of 21 (-17.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #137,327 to #155,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Pesak?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pesak, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%) and Two or More Races (2.0%). 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 Pesak in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.1% (93 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pesak appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.1%), Hispanic (5.9%), Two or More Races (2.0%). 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 Pesak (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 Pesak mean?
A surname originating from the Ukrainian word for "sand" or "sandy". 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 Pesak (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 have the surname Pesak?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.