2000
#57,252
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 333
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.12
Very Rare Last name
Praska
A surname originating from the Czech city of Prague.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 415 Americans carry the last name Praska. That puts it at #60,172 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.12 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 825,914 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Praska 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
415
1 in 825,914
Census rank
#60,172
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
362
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 362 bearers of the surname Praska in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.12 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 60172nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Praska, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Praska
The surname Praska is of Polish origin, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Polish word "praska," which means "from Praga," referring to the district of Praga in Warsaw, Poland.
During the Middle Ages, many surnames emerged as a way to distinguish people from different regions or localities. The earliest recorded instances of the surname Praska can be traced back to the 14th century in Polish historical records and archives.
One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Praska was Jan Praska, a prominent merchant who lived in the city of Krakow in the late 15th century. His name appears in several trade records and municipal documents from that time period.
Another notable figure was Stanisław Praska, a Polish nobleman and military commander who fought in the Polish-Swedish War of the 17th century. He was born in 1620 and died in 1687, distinguishing himself in several battles against Swedish forces.
In the 18th century, Kazimierz Praska, a renowned Polish painter and art teacher, gained recognition for his contributions to the artistic community. He was born in 1734 and passed away in 1801, leaving behind a rich legacy of works that are still celebrated today.
The surname Praska also has ties to various place names in Poland, such as the village of Praska Wieś, located in the Masovian Voivodeship. This further reinforces the connection between the surname and its geographical roots.
Throughout history, several other individuals bearing the surname Praska have made their mark in various fields, including literature, politics, and academia. Józef Praska, born in 1879 and died in 1942, was a prominent Polish writer and journalist who chronicled the socio-political landscape of his time.
While the surname Praska may not be as widely recognized as some other Polish surnames, its rich history and ties to specific regions and notable figures contribute to its enduring legacy within the cultural tapestry of Poland.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Praska
Among Census respondents with the surname Praska, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Praska 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 Praska surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.6% · 346
- Hispanic or Latino2.2% · 8
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 4
- Two or more races1.1% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Praska
Praska 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
#56,972
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 358
+25 bearers (+7.5%)
Per 100,000 0.12
Rank movement Up 280 places
2020
#60,172
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 362
+4 bearers (+1.1%)
Per 100,000 0.12
Rank movement Down 3,200 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #57,252 | 333 | 0.12 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #56,972 | 358 | 0.12 | +25 bearers (+7.5%) | Up 280 places |
| 2020 | #60,172 | 362 | 0.12 | +4 bearers (+1.1%) | Down 3,200 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 Praska 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 | #56,972 | #60,172 | -5.6% |
| Count | 358 | 362 | 1.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.12 | 0.12 | 0.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Praska bearers went from 358 to 362 (+1.1% change). The surname moved down 3,200 positions in the national ranking, going from #56,972 to #60,172.
FAQ
Praska surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Praska?
Name Census estimates that about 415 living Americans carry the surname Praska. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 825,914 residents.
How common is Praska?
Praska ranks #60,172 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.12 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 362 people with the surname Praska. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (415), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.12 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.12 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 Praska.
Has Praska become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Praska went from 358 recorded bearers to 362. That is an increase of 4 (+1.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #56,972 to #60,172.
What does the Census say about the background of Praska?
Among Census respondents with the surname Praska, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%). 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 Praska in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.6% (346 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Praska appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.6%), Hispanic (2.2%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%). 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 Praska (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 Praska mean?
A surname originating from the Czech city of Prague. 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 Praska (0.12 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 Praska?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.