2000
#142,819
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Petmecky
A Slovak occupational surname derived from the word "petit" meaning "to burn" or "to singe."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Petmecky. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Petmecky 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
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Petmecky in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Petmecky, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.8%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (4.1%) and Two or More Races (3.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Petmecky
The surname PETMECKY is a Slavic name with origins in the Czech Republic, dating back to the 15th century. It is believed to have originated from the town of Petmecky, located in the region of Bohemia. The name was likely derived from the Old Czech word "petmecky," which referred to a type of small, round loaf of bread or roll.
According to historical records, the earliest known mention of the PETMECKY surname appeared in a document from the year 1487, where it was recorded as "Petrmeček." This document was a land registry from the town of Petmecky, which suggests that the name was already established in that area at the time.
In the 16th century, the PETMECKY name appeared in various town records and church registers across Bohemia, with several variations in spelling, such as "Petrmecky," "Petrmeczky," and "Petrmeczek." These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the lack of standardized spelling practices at the time.
One notable individual with the PETMECKY surname was Jan Petmecky (1567-1634), a prominent baker and merchant from the city of Prague. He was known for introducing several new baking techniques and recipes to the region, and his bakery was a popular destination for locals and travelers alike.
Another PETMECKY of note was Václav Petmecky (1698-1772), a Czech philosopher and theologian who taught at the University of Prague. He wrote several influential works on ethics and moral philosophy, which were widely studied in academic circles throughout Central Europe.
In the 19th century, the PETMECKY name gained recognition with the birth of Matěj Petmecky (1834-1901), a renowned Czech painter and portraitist. His works captured the everyday life and landscapes of Bohemia, and he is considered one of the pioneers of the Czech Realist movement in art.
Ludmila Petmecky (1892-1976) was a celebrated Czech author and playwright, known for her novels and plays that explored themes of love, family, and social issues of her time. Her works were widely read and performed in theaters across Czechoslovakia during the early 20th century.
Finally, Jaroslav Petmecky (1924-2003) was a distinguished Czech mathematician and academic, who made significant contributions to the field of algebraic topology. He served as a professor at Charles University in Prague and was widely respected for his research and teaching abilities.
The PETMECKY surname has a rich history rooted in the Czech Republic, with connections to various occupations, academic achievements, and artistic endeavors over the centuries. While its origins can be traced back to a small town in Bohemia, the name has since spread and left its mark on various aspects of Czech culture and society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Petmecky
Among Census respondents with the surname Petmecky, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.8%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (4.1%) and Two or More Races (3.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Petmecky 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 Petmecky surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.8% · 105
- Asian and Pacific Islander4.1% · 5
- Two or more races3.3% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.5% · 3
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Petmecky
Petmecky 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
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+3 bearers (+2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,576 places
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
+11 bearers (+10.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 8,086 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #142,819 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.8%) | Down 6,576 places |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | +11 bearers (+10.0%) | Up 8,086 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 Petmecky 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 | #149,395 | #141,309 | 5.4% |
| Count | 110 | 121 | 10.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 1.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Petmecky bearers went from 110 to 121 (+10.0% change). The surname moved up 8,086 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #141,309.
FAQ
Petmecky surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Petmecky?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Petmecky. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Petmecky?
Petmecky ranks #141,309 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 121 people with the surname Petmecky. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), 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 Petmecky.
Has Petmecky become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Petmecky went from 110 recorded bearers to 121. That is an increase of 11 (+10.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #149,395 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Petmecky?
Among Census respondents with the surname Petmecky, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.8%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (4.1%) and Two or More Races (3.3%). 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 Petmecky in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.8% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Petmecky appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (4.1%), Two or More Races (3.3%). 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 Petmecky (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 Petmecky mean?
A Slovak occupational surname derived from the word "petit" meaning "to burn" or "to singe." 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 Petmecky (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 have the surname Petmecky?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.