Find out how popular the last name Prochaska is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Prochaska.

Prochaska, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Prochaska surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Prochaska in America

Prochaska is the 11118th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Prochaska surname appeared 2,852 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Prochaska.

We can also compare 2010 data for Prochaska to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Prochaska

The surname Prochaska is of Czech origin, derived from the personal name Procházka, which means "a wanderer" or "a stroller." This name was likely given as a nickname to someone who frequently walked or traveled. The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century in the Czech lands, particularly in the region of Bohemia.

In the 15th century, a man named Jan Prochaska was mentioned in the records of the town of Pardubice, located in the eastern part of Bohemia. This is one of the earliest known references to the surname in historical documents.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Prochaska was commonly found in various parts of Bohemia, as well as in the neighboring regions of Moravia and Silesia, which were also part of the Czech lands at the time.

One notable bearer of the name was Jan Prochaska (1749-1820), a Czech Roman Catholic priest and scientist who made significant contributions to the fields of physics and astronomy. He was also a professor at the University of Prague.

In the 19th century, the surname Prochaska was carried by several individuals who played important roles in the Czech National Revival movement, which aimed to revive the Czech language and culture. One such figure was Václav Prochaska (1826-1908), a Czech historian and politician who advocated for Czech autonomy within the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Alois Prochaska (1826-1888), a Czech botanist and teacher who specialized in the study of mosses. He authored several important works on the subject and made significant contributions to the field of bryology.

Outside of the Czech lands, the surname Prochaska can also be found in other parts of Europe, particularly in areas with historical connections to Bohemia and Moravia, such as parts of Germany and Austria.

Overall, the surname Prochaska has a rich history dating back centuries and is deeply rooted in the Czech cultural and linguistic traditions. It has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including scientists, historians, and political figures, who have made notable contributions to their respective fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Prochaska

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Prochaska.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Prochaska was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Prochaska has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Prochaska was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Prochaska, please contact us.

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