2000
#146,011
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Posekany
A surname derived from the Czech word "posekaný" meaning "chopped" or "cut down".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Posekany. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Posekany 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
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Posekany in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Posekany, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.1%. The next largest groups are Black (1.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Posekany
The surname Posekany has its origins in the Czech Republic, tracing back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Czech word "posekanỳ," which means "cut" or "chopped," likely referring to an occupation or activity associated with forestry or woodcutting.
In the early 1600s, the Posekany surname was found in records from the Bohemian region, particularly in villages and towns surrounding the city of Prague. One of the earliest documented instances of the name appears in a land registry from the town of Kutná Hora, dated 1612, where a family with the surname Posekany is listed as landowners.
Historical records indicate that the Posekany name gained prominence in the 17th and 18th centuries, with several notable individuals bearing the surname. Jan Posekany (1625-1697) was a renowned Czech sculptor and woodcarver, known for his intricate works adorning churches and monasteries throughout Bohemia. His nephew, Matěj Posekany (1653-1723), followed in his footsteps and became a respected woodcarver in his own right.
Another notable figure was Václav Posekany (1772-1841), a Czech writer and journalist who played a significant role in the Czech National Revival movement. He wrote extensively on Czech language, literature, and culture, contributing to the preservation and promotion of the nation's identity during a period of German cultural dominance.
In the 19th century, the Posekany surname spread to other regions of Europe as individuals migrated from the Czech lands. In 1867, a family with the surname Posekany settled in the town of Kežmarok, located in what is now Slovakia. This branch of the Posekany family became prominent landowners and contributed to the local community's development.
Another notable figure was Alžběta Posekany (1881-1957), a Czech educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded one of the first schools for girls in Prague and played a pivotal role in promoting equal educational opportunities for women in the early 20th century.
While the Posekany surname has its roots in the Czech Republic, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and globalization. However, its historical significance remains tied to its Czech origins and the individuals who have carried this name throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Posekany
Among Census respondents with the surname Posekany, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.1%. The next largest groups are Black (1.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Posekany 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 Posekany surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.1% · 102
- Black or African American1.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Posekany
Posekany 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
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+16 bearers (+15.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,783 places
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-15 bearers (-12.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 13,761 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #146,011 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | +16 bearers (+15.4%) | Up 6,783 places |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | -15 bearers (-12.5%) | Down 13,761 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 Posekany 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 | #139,228 | #152,989 | -9.9% |
| Count | 120 | 105 | -12.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Posekany bearers went from 120 to 105 (-12.5% change). The surname moved down 13,761 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #152,989.
FAQ
Posekany surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Posekany?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Posekany. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Posekany?
Posekany ranks #152,989 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 105 people with the surname Posekany. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), 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 Posekany.
Has Posekany become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Posekany went from 120 recorded bearers to 105. That is a decrease of 15 (-12.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Posekany?
Among Census respondents with the surname Posekany, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.1%. The next largest groups are Black (1.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%). 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 Posekany in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.1% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Posekany appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.1%), Black (1.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%). 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 Posekany (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 Posekany mean?
A surname derived from the Czech word "posekaný" meaning "chopped" or "cut down". 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 Posekany (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 Posekany?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.