2000
#10,303
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,866
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.06
Rare Last name
Pokorny
Derived from the Slavic word "pokornyy," meaning "humble, obedient, or submissive."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,205 Americans carry the last name Pokorny. That puts it at #10,888 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.94 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 106,944 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pokorny 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
3.2K
1 in 106,944
Census rank
#10,888
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,795 bearers of the surname Pokorny in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.94 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10888th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pokorny, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.0%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pokorny
The surname Pokorny originates from the Czech Republic, where it first appeared in the 14th century. It is derived from the Czech word "pokorna," which means "humble" or "meek." This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who exhibited these qualities or perhaps came from a town or region associated with humility.
One of the earliest known references to the Pokorny surname can be found in a medieval Czech manuscript dating back to 1387. This document lists a certain "Jan Pokorny" as a landowner in the village of Litovice.
In the 15th century, the name Pokorny began to spread beyond the Czech lands and into neighboring regions. Records from this period show variations in spelling, such as "Pokorni" and "Pokornyi," likely due to regional dialects and the inconsistent nature of written language at the time.
A notable bearer of the Pokorny name was Jakub Pokorny (1472-1538), a Czech theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the Hussite movement. He was a vocal critic of the Catholic Church and advocated for the use of the Czech language in religious services.
Another historical figure with this surname was Jan Pokorny (1589-1647), a Czech mathematician and astronomer. He is credited with improving the accuracy of astronomical calculations and contributing to the development of early telescopes.
In the 18th century, the Pokorny name found its way to other parts of Europe, including Germany and Austria. One prominent individual from this era was Josef Pokorny (1734-1804), an Austrian composer and violinist who served as the Kapellmeister (music director) at the court of Prince Esterházy.
As the 19th century dawned, the Pokorny surname continued to spread, with several notable bearers emerging. Among them was Julius Pokorny (1828-1902), a Czech linguist and author who specialized in the study of Indo-European languages.
Another significant figure was Alois Pokorny (1866-1940), a Czech architect and urban planner. He was responsible for designing several iconic buildings in Prague, including the Municipal House and the Trade Fair Palace.
Over time, the Pokorny surname has been carried by numerous individuals across various fields, including academics, artists, and public figures. While its origins can be traced back to the Czech Republic, it has become a name recognized throughout Europe and beyond, reflecting the diverse and rich history of the region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pokorny
Among Census respondents with the surname Pokorny, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.0%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Pokorny 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 Pokorny surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.6% · 2,559
- Hispanic or Latino4.0% · 112
- Two or more races3.0% · 84
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 24
- Black or African American0.5% · 13
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pokorny
Pokorny 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
#10,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,905
+39 bearers (+1.4%)
Per 100,000 0.98
Rank movement Down 651 places
2020
#10,888
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,795
-110 bearers (-3.8%)
Per 100,000 0.94
Rank movement Up 66 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,303 | 2,866 | 1.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,954 | 2,905 | 0.98 | +39 bearers (+1.4%) | Down 651 places |
| 2020 | #10,888 | 2,795 | 0.94 | -110 bearers (-3.8%) | Up 66 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 Pokorny 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 | #10,954 | #10,888 | 0.6% |
| Count | 2,905 | 2,795 | -3.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.98 | 0.94 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pokorny bearers went from 2,905 to 2,795 (-3.8% change). The surname moved up 66 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,954 to #10,888.
FAQ
Pokorny surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pokorny?
Name Census estimates that about 3,205 living Americans carry the surname Pokorny. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 106,944 residents.
How common is Pokorny?
Pokorny ranks #10,888 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.94 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,795 people with the surname Pokorny. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,205), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.94 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.94 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Pokorny.
Has Pokorny become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pokorny went from 2,905 recorded bearers to 2,795. That is a decrease of 110 (-3.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #10,954 to #10,888.
What does the Census say about the background of Pokorny?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pokorny, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.0%) and Two or More Races (3.0%). 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 Pokorny in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.6% (2,559 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pokorny appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.6%), Hispanic (4.0%), Two or More Races (3.0%). 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 Pokorny (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 Pokorny mean?
Derived from the Slavic word "pokornyy," meaning "humble, obedient, or submissive." 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 Pokorny (0.94 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 share the surname Pokorny?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.