2010
#140,157
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Ptasznik
A Polish surname derived from the word "ptasznik," meaning "bird catcher" or "fowler."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Ptasznik. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ptasznik 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Ptasznik in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ptasznik, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.3%. The next largest groups are Black (0.8%) and Hispanic (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ptasznik
The surname Ptasznik is of Polish origin, derived from the Polish word "ptasznik" which means "bird catcher" or "fowler." This occupational surname likely originated during the medieval period in Poland, referring to individuals whose occupation involved catching birds for food or sport.
The earliest known record of the Ptasznik name dates back to the 15th century, appearing in historical documents from the region of Lesser Poland (Małopolska). In 1432, a record mentions a certain Jakub Ptasznik, who was a resident of the town of Cracow (Kraków).
Another early reference to the Ptasznik name can be found in the "Akta Grodzkie i Ziemskie" (Court and Land Records) from the 16th century, where a Marcin Ptasznik is mentioned as a landowner in the village of Chodów near Miechów in 1533.
During the 17th century, the Ptasznik name gained prominence in the region of Silesia (Śląsk), which was then part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In 1623, a record from the town of Opole mentions a Tomasz Ptasznik, who served as a municipal official.
One of the earliest known individuals with the Ptasznik surname was Jan Ptasznik (1568-1642), a Polish Catholic priest and theologian from the town of Biecz. He was a renowned scholar and author of several theological works.
Another notable figure bearing the Ptasznik name was Michał Ptasznik (1787-1853), a Polish historian and writer from the city of Lviv (Lwów). He is best known for his work on the history of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
In the 19th century, the Ptasznik surname spread beyond Poland to other parts of Europe. Franciszek Ptasznik (1830-1912) was a Polish-born military officer who served in the Austro-Hungarian army and participated in the Crimean War.
Towards the end of the 19th century, the Ptasznik name also made its way to the United States through Polish immigration. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Stanisław Ptasznik (1862-1935), who settled in Chicago and worked as a tailor.
While the Ptasznik surname is relatively uncommon outside of Poland, it has a rich history deeply rooted in the country's past, reflecting the occupations and traditions of its bearers over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ptasznik
Among Census respondents with the surname Ptasznik, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.3%. The next largest groups are Black (0.8%) and Hispanic (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Ptasznik 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 Ptasznik surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White98.3% · 117
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ptasznik
Ptasznik appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,631 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #140,157 | 119 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 2,631 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 Ptasznik 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 | #140,157 | #142,788 | -1.9% |
| Count | 119 | 119 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ptasznik bearers went from 119 to 119 (+0.0% change). The surname moved down 2,631 positions in the national ranking, going from #140,157 to #142,788.
FAQ
Ptasznik surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ptasznik?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Ptasznik. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Ptasznik?
Ptasznik ranks #142,788 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 119 people with the surname Ptasznik. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), 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 Ptasznik.
Has Ptasznik become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ptasznik went from 119 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #140,157 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Ptasznik?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ptasznik, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.3%. 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 Ptasznik in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.3% (117 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ptasznik appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (98.3%), 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 Ptasznik (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 Ptasznik mean?
A Polish surname derived from the word "ptasznik," meaning "bird catcher" or "fowler." 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 Ptasznik (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 Americans have the surname Ptasznik?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.