2000
#119,644
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 134
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Pifko
A surname of Ukrainian origin, derived from the word "pif" meaning "pipe" or "whistle".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 146 Americans carry the last name Pifko. That puts it at #136,807 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,347,632 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pifko 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
146
1 in 2,347,632
Census rank
#136,807
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
127
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 127 bearers of the surname Pifko in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 136807th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pifko, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.6%. The next largest groups are Black (0.8%) and Hispanic (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pifko
The surname PIFKO has its origins in Eastern Europe, specifically in the region of Slovakia. It is believed to have emerged in the early 18th century, possibly derived from a Slavic root word related to musical instruments or wind instruments.
The earliest known written record of the PIFKO surname can be traced back to a village in the Nitra region of Slovakia, where it appears in a local church registry dating back to the year 1721. This suggests that the name may have been associated with a particular family or group of families residing in that area during that period.
In the 19th century, the PIFKO surname began to spread beyond its initial geographical confines, as members of the family sought opportunities elsewhere. One notable figure bearing this name was Jan PIFKO, a skilled woodcarver born in 1832, whose intricate works adorned several churches and public buildings in the region.
As the 20th century dawned, the PIFKO name gained further visibility. In 1912, a young man named Stefan PIFKO emigrated from Slovakia to the United States, settling in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He went on to establish a successful business in the steel industry and became a respected figure in the local Slovak community.
Another prominent individual with the PIFKO surname was Maria PIFKO, a celebrated opera singer who rose to fame in the 1930s. Born in 1905 in the town of Trenčín, Slovakia, she performed on stages across Europe and is remembered for her powerful soprano voice and her interpretations of classical operatic roles.
In the realm of academia, the name PIFKO is associated with Dr. Michal PIFKO, a renowned linguist and professor who made significant contributions to the study of Slavic languages. Born in 1920 in Slovakia, he spent much of his career teaching at prestigious universities in Europe and the United States.
While the PIFKO surname may not be among the most widely known or prevalent names globally, it has a rich history deeply rooted in the cultural and linguistic traditions of Eastern Europe, particularly Slovakia. Its legacy continues to be carried forward by individuals in various fields, preserving the heritage and identity of this unique family name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pifko
Among Census respondents with the surname Pifko, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.6%. The next largest groups are Black (0.8%) and Hispanic (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Pifko 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 Pifko surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.6% · 124
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pifko
Pifko 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
#138,304
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
-13 bearers (-9.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 18,660 places
2020
#136,807
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
+6 bearers (+5.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 1,497 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #119,644 | 134 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #138,304 | 121 | 0.04 | -13 bearers (-9.7%) | Down 18,660 places |
| 2020 | #136,807 | 127 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.0%) | Up 1,497 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 Pifko 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 | #138,304 | #136,807 | 1.1% |
| Count | 121 | 127 | 5.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 6.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pifko bearers went from 121 to 127 (+5.0% change). The surname moved up 1,497 positions in the national ranking, going from #138,304 to #136,807.
FAQ
Pifko surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pifko?
Name Census estimates that about 146 living Americans carry the surname Pifko. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,347,632 residents.
How common is Pifko?
Pifko ranks #136,807 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 127 people with the surname Pifko. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (146), 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 Pifko.
Has Pifko become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pifko went from 121 recorded bearers to 127. That is an increase of 6 (+5.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #138,304 to #136,807.
What does the Census say about the background of Pifko?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pifko, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.6%. The next largest groups are Black (0.8%) and Hispanic (0.8%). 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 Pifko in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.6% (124 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pifko appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.6%), Black (0.8%), Hispanic (0.8%). 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 Pifko (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 Pifko mean?
A surname of Ukrainian origin, derived from the word "pif" meaning "pipe" or "whistle". 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 Pifko (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 Pifko?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Pifko on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.