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

Petzak, 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 Petzak surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Petzak in America

Petzak is the 149395th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Petzak surname appeared 110 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 Petzak.

We can also compare 2010 data for Petzak 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 Petzak

The surname Petzak originated in Germany, likely in the late medieval period around the 14th or 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "Petze," which means "rag" or "piece of cloth," suggesting a possible connection to an occupation or trade involving textiles or clothing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Petzak can be found in the town records of Augsburg, Germany, where a certain Johann Petzak was listed as a citizen in the year 1487. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the late 15th century.

The name Petzak is also closely associated with the town of Petzak (now known as Pěčice) in the Czech Republic, which may have been named after an individual or family bearing the surname. This town's name is first mentioned in historical records dating back to the 13th century, indicating that the name may have even earlier origins.

In the 16th century, a notable figure named Hans Petzak (c. 1520 - c. 1590) was a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Nuremberg, Germany. His successful business dealings and acquisition of property suggest that the Petzak name had already gained some prominence by that time.

Another notable individual with the surname Petzak was Johann Petzak (1677 - 1745), a German painter and engraver who was active in the early 18th century. His works, which include various religious paintings and etchings, can be found in several galleries and museums across Europe.

In the 19th century, a German writer and poet named Adolf Petzak (1846 - 1907) gained recognition for his novels and poetry collections, which often explored themes of nature and the human condition. His works were widely published in Germany and Austria during his lifetime.

Moving into the 20th century, Max Petzak (1891 - 1964) was an Austrian linguist and philologist who made significant contributions to the study of Slavic languages. He served as a professor at the University of Vienna and authored several influential works on the historical development of languages.

Throughout its history, the surname Petzak has maintained a strong presence in various parts of Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic, although it has also spread to other regions and countries over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Petzak

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

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

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

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