2000
#148,244
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Popilek
A surname derived from the Polish word for "ashes," suggesting an occupational connection to an ash-related trade or location.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Popilek. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Popilek 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Popilek in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Popilek, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.5%. The next largest groups are Black (0.8%) and Hispanic (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Popilek
The surname Popilek is of Czech origin, originating from the region of Bohemia in the present-day Czech Republic. Its roots can be traced back to the 15th century, deriving from the occupational name "popil" or "popílek," which translates to "ashes" or "ash-maker" in Czech.
This surname was likely bestowed upon individuals who worked with ash, such as potash makers or charcoal burners. The earliest known record of the name appears in a 1492 manuscript from the town of Kutná Hora, which mentions a certain "Václav Popílek" residing in the area.
In the 16th century, the name Popilek began to appear in church records and land registries across Bohemia. One notable example is a 1587 entry in the parish records of Plzeň, which documents the birth of "Anna Popilková," daughter of Jakub Popilek and his wife, Dorota.
As the centuries progressed, the name Popilek continued to be found in various historical documents throughout the Czech lands. In 1652, a man named Jan Popilek was recorded as a landowner in the village of Čižice, near Prague.
One of the earliest known bearers of the Popilek surname was Tomáš Popilek, a prominent merchant and trader who lived in the city of Olomouc during the late 17th century. His business dealings and success were documented in several contemporaneous accounts.
Another notable figure bearing the Popilek name was Josef Popilek (1744-1819), a respected legal scholar and judge who served in the courts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. His contributions to the development of Czech legal jurisprudence were recognized during his lifetime.
During the 19th century, the Popilek surname continued to be found across various regions of the Czech lands. One such individual was Václav Popilek (1810-1878), a renowned sculptor and woodcarver from the town of Nová Paka, whose intricate works adorned churches and public buildings throughout the region.
In the early 20th century, Karel Popilek (1892-1964) gained recognition as a pioneering Czech aviator and one of the first pilots in the newly formed Czechoslovak Air Force after World War I.
Throughout its history, the surname Popilek has maintained a strong connection to its Czech origins and occupational roots, with various bearers of the name leaving their mark across different fields and professions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Popilek
Among Census respondents with the surname Popilek, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.5%. The next largest groups are Black (0.8%) and Hispanic (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Popilek 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 Popilek surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.5% · 117
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Popilek
Popilek 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
+8 bearers (+7.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,151 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+10 bearers (+9.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 7,346 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #148,244 | 102 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+7.8%) | Down 1,151 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +10 bearers (+9.1%) | Up 7,346 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 Popilek 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 | #142,049 | 4.9% |
| Count | 110 | 120 | 9.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Popilek bearers went from 110 to 120 (+9.1% change). The surname moved up 7,346 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #142,049.
FAQ
Popilek surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Popilek?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Popilek. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Popilek?
Popilek ranks #142,049 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 120 people with the surname Popilek. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), 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 Popilek.
Has Popilek become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Popilek went from 110 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 10 (+9.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #149,395 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Popilek?
Among Census respondents with the surname Popilek, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.5%. 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 Popilek in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.5% (117 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Popilek appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.5%), 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 Popilek (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 Popilek mean?
A surname derived from the Polish word for "ashes," suggesting an occupational connection to an ash-related trade or location. 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 Popilek (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 Popilek?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.